UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


$509     7 


Zenatfce  a, 


The  Story  of  Chaldea.     12°.     Illus.    .        .        .  $1.50 

Half  leather,  gilt  top 1.75 

The  Story  of  Assyria.     12°.     Illus.    .        .        .  1.50 

Half  leather,  gilt  top 1.75 

The  Story  of  Media,  Babylon,   and   Persia. 

12°.     Illus 1.50 

Half  leather,  gilt  top 1.75 

The  Story  of  Vedic  India.     12°.     Illus.      .        .  1.50 

Half  leather,  gilt  top 1.75 


Siegfried  and  Beowulf.  12°.  Illus.  $1.50 
Frithjof  and  Roland.  12°.  Illus.  1.50 
Salammbo.  12°.  Illus.  1.50 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS,  NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON. 


ftales  of  ti?e  Tberoic' 


SIEGFRIED 

The  Hero  of  the  North 

AND 

BEOWULF 

The  Hero  of  the  Anglo-Saxons 

BY 

ZENAI'DE  A.  RAGOZIN 

Member  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society  of  Great  Britain  and 

Ireland  ;  of  the  American  Oriental  Society,  etc. 

Author  of  "  Chaldea,"  "  Vedic  India,"  etc. 


I  Iff  I 

ILLUSTRATED  BY  GEORGE  T.  TOBIN 
Sixth  Impression 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 

NEW  YORK  &  LONDON 

Che  -Knickerbocker  press 

1903 


JAN    1905 


COPYRIGHT,  1898 

BY 

G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 
Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London 


ftiUcherbocfcer  presa,  «ew 


PREFACE 

A  STRANGE  thing  happened  last 
winter  in  New  York,  strange  even 
for  New  York.  It  was  reported,  with  the 
names  and  addresses,  in  all  the  papers  ;  and 
personal  investigation  proved  the  facts  to 
be  true. 

It  happened  in  the  family  of  a  respecta- 
ble and  well-to-do  German  artisan  couple. 
Both  husband  and  wife  had  come  from 
the  old  country  very  young,  and  prospered, 
as  honest  industry  will,  when  coupled  with 
intelligence  and  a  moderate  share  of  luck. 
They  had  profited,  perhaps  to  an  excep- 
tional degree,  by  the  educational  advan- 
tages which  Germany  provides  for  her 
poorest  children  ;  but,  unfortunately,  their 
minds  and  their  moral  sense  ran  in  a 
groove.  They  loved  truth  above  all  things, 
but  truth  in  a  narrow,  absolute  sense.  They 


iv  Preface 

read  in  their  leisure  hours,  but  only  what 
was  literally  true.  All  fiction,  all  poetry 
was  tabooed,  branded  uncompromisingly 
as  "lies,"  and  abominated  accordingly. 
In  a  word,  the  worthy  couple  were  speci- 
mens of  a  very  rare  genus  :  human  beings 
utterly  devoid  of  imagination. 

Strictly  on  these  lines  they  brought  up 
their  little  daughter,  a  pretty,  blue-eyed 
fairy  of  a  child,  their  idol  and  their  joy. 
They  would  give  to  her  a  first-class  educa- 
tion. They  could  afford  it,  for  their  sav- 
ings-bank account  kept  growing  and  had 
reached  the  sum  of  $1400.00.  But  the 
parents — the  mother  especially — watched 
her  studies  and  recreations  keenly,  and  so 
successfully  that  little  Gertrude  at  twelve 
years  of  age  had  never  heard  a  fairy-tale, 
never  seen  a  story-book  or  a  Mother  Goose 
picture,  and  had  never  suspected  that  there 
were  any  other  intellectual  meadows  to 
browse  on  than  mathematics,  spelling,  and 
geography. 

Now,  by  a  perversity  in  which  fate 
delights,  this  sober,  truth-telling  couple 
had  brought  into  the  world  a  being 


Preface  v 

from  another  sphere — imaginative,  dreamy, 
ardent-souled,  artistic.  Cherished  as  she 
was,  little  Gertrude  could  not  be  anything 
but  happy,  nor  was  she  conscious  of  any 
unsatisfied  want.  But  she  threw  her  whole 
unconscious  passion  into  music  and  showed 
such  talent  as  to  delight  her  elders  and 
inspire  them  with  the  proudest  hopes  for 
her  future  career. 

One  day  she  heard  her  mother  say  to 
a  neighbour  :  "  Gertrude  shall  be  another 
Paderewsky.  She  shall  play  at  the  White 
House  before  the  President.  What  a 
fortune  she  will  make  ! "  The  child  said 
nothing,  but  began  to  think.  "  I  was  so 
glad,"  she  said  afterwards ;  "  I  thought  it 
had  already  happened."  Soon  after,  she 
went  with  her  parents  to  the  dedication 
of  Grant's  tomb.  It  was  the  first  pageant 
she  had  ever  witnessed,  and  she  saw  the 
President  in  his  landau.  She  heard  that 
he  and  his  wife  were  staying  at  the 
Windsor. 

Three  days  later  Gertrude,  returning 
from  school,  burst  into  the  family  room 
with  an  astounding  piece  of  news :  Mrs. 


vi  Preface 

McKinley  had  visited  her  school,  had 
heard  her  play  and  recite,  and  would 
return  next  day  with  the  President.  Ger- 
trude was  to  visit  them  at  their  hotel. 
Great  was  the  parents'  joy.  The  day 
following,  the  little  girl  was  equipped 
from  head  to  foot  with  new  garments  and 
sent  off  on  her  supposed  visit.  She  came 
home  at  seven  o'clock  in  an  ecstasy  of  joy  : 
"  Mrs.  McKinley  will  adopt  me.  I  am 
to  call  her  'mamma.'  She  will  pay  for 
my  music  lessons.  And  Mr.  McKinley  will 
give  papa  a  place  in  Washington."  They 
believed  it  all.  But  Gertrude  had  some- 
thing else  to  tell,  and  came  out  with  it 
the  next  day :  "  Poor  Mrs.  McKinley  has 
no  money ;  she  does  not  want  to  ask  her 
husband  till  pay-day.  I  wish  I  could  lend 
it  her." 

The  father  went  to  the  bank  and  re- 
turned with  a  hundred  dollars,  which  he 
gave  to  Gertrude  to  take  at  once  to 
"  Mamma  McKinley."  Very  soon  she 
was  back:  "Mamma  McKinley  thanks 
you  ever  so  much.  She  would  come  to 
see  you,  but  of  course  she  cannot  come 


Preface  vii 

to  a  tenement."  Whereupon,  incredible 
as  it  may  seem,  the  good  people  moved 
to  an  "apartment"  in  a  good  location 
and  proportionately  high  as  to  rent. 

Gertrude  hastened  to  inform  her  illus- 
trious friends  of  the  change,  and  came 
home  with  another  woful  tale  :  "  Mr.  Mc- 
Kinley  asks  papa  to  lend  him  a  hundred 
dollars  until  he  goes  back  to  Washington. 
He  has  cheques,  but  does  not  like  to 
pay  his  hotel  bills  in  cheques."  The  hun- 
dred dollars  went.  This  time  the  child 
came  home  with  an  armful  of  costly  flowers. 
The  President  had  sent  the  roses,  his  wife 
the  lilies  of  the  valley,  and  the  violets 
came  from  the  German  Ambassador. 

After  this  Gertrude  became  a  regular 
visitor  at  the  President's,  but  almost  every 
time  she  had  to  have  money,  to  lend 
either  to  him,  or  to  his  wife,  or  to  spend  in 
largesses  to  the  servants,  in  presents  to 
the  secretaries  or  attendants,  and  each  time 
she  returned  laden  with  flowers  and  even 
stranger  gifts,  which  she  distributed  to  the 
members  of  her  family  ;  there  were,  among 
other  things,  a  black-and-tan  dog,  a  canary 


viii  Preface 

bird,  and,  later  on,  jewelry,  even  to  a 
diamond  ring.  At  the  same  time  the  child 
conversed  on  all  current  political  topics  as 
one  who  got  her  information  at  headquar- 
ters, and  gave  so  many  and  positive  par- 
ticulars about  the  position  in  store  for  her 
father,  the  salary,  the  work,  etc.,  that  the 
poor  man  actually  returned  work  he  had 
contracted  for,  to  take  a  short  rest  before 
the  ist  of  December,  on  which  day  the 
summons  to  Washington  was  to  come. 

The  $1400.00  were  gone.  But  where 
was  the  harm,  since  they  would  be  repaid 
with  interest,  not  to  speak  of  a  $5000.00 
salary  ! 

Then  the  crash  came. 

On  Thanksgiving  Day,  Gertrude  pre- 
pared to  go  to  school,  as  usual.  "  Is  your 
school  open  to-day  ? "  asked  her  father, 
wonderingly.  ''It  is  always  open  for  the 
President,"  she  replied,  promptly  enough, 
still  not  without  a  little  gasp  at  her  blunder. 
"  I  will  go  with  you,"  said  the  father,quietly. 
It  had  just  dawned  on  him  for  the  first 
time  that  there  was  something  queer  some- 
where. The  schoolhouse  was  locked,  of 


Preface  ix 

course.  She  did  not  yet  lose  heart.  "  Mrs. 
McKinley  must  have  come  and  gone  away 
disappointed.  I  '11  run  over  to  the  hotel." 
"  I'll  go  with  you,"  again  said  the  father, 
who  had  taken  her  to  the  door  more  than 
once.  But  this  time  he  questioned  the 
janitor.  He  learned  that  the  President 
had  left  in  April,  that  the  little  girl  who 
came  in  at  one  door  used  to  walk  through 
the  hall  and  out  at  another  door. 

How  the  good  man  got  home,  he  never 
knew.  Gertrude  broke  down  completely 
and  made  a  full  confession.  All  the  time 
she  was  away  from  home  she  spent  at  a 
neighbour's.  She  had  a  drawer  there 
where  she  kept  the  money  she  did  not 
spend  and  all  the  things  she  did  not  take 
home.  She  made  presents  lavishly,  took 
her  friend  on  long  drives,  but  could  not 
account  for  the  enormous  sum  she  had 
squandered.  The  neighbour  sent  home  to 
her  parents  a  variety  of  articles  she  had 
kept  in  storage  for  the  child.  It  was  a 
queer  collection  :  there  were,  among  other 
things,  two  bicycles,  a  camera,  plaster  casts 
of  musicians,  and — to  the  mother's  great- 


Xll 


Preface 


nothing  can  ever  take  the  place  of  the  uni- 
versal treasury  of  nursery  fairy  tales,  the 
ever  young,  the  ever  dear, — harmless  ow- 
ing to  the  glaring  extravagance  of  their 
impossibilities,  educational  from  the  moral 
purity  and  profound  wisdom  which  per- 
vade them.1 

Fortunately  we  have,  ready  to  our  hand, 
for  the  next  age — say  from  ten  to  sixteen — 
another  vast  treasury  of  fiction,  which  to 
the  same  qualities  adds  high  literary  worth, 
besides  historical  value,  as  the  source  from 
which  all  the  poetry,  drama,  romance  of 
the  world  have  flowed  through  all  but  un- 
numbered ages — the  mytho-heroical  epic 
fiction  of  the  ancient  nations.  Once  we 
admit  the  necessity  of  recreative  fiction- 
reading  for  the  young,  why  not  plunge  into 
this  treasure  and  bring  out  its  pearls  and 
rubies  in  generous  handfuls,  and  pour  them 
into  our  children's  laps  to  make  them  rich 

1  This  cannot  be  said  of  such  works  as  Jules  Verne's  famous 
books.  Their  semi-scientific  plausibility  is  a  snare  to  the 
young  mind,  which  does  not  possess  sufficient  knowledge  to 
discriminate  between  the  truth  and  the  fiction  they  contain,  so 
that  all  its  ideas  get  misled,  confused,  and  blurred.  A  lie  in 
the  garb  of  truth  !  Can  anything  be  more  pernicious? 


Preface  xiii 

for  life  with  the  heirloom  which  is  theirs 
by  right  of  birth  ? 

There  are  two  reasons  why  a  well  se- 
lected and  carefully  adapted  course  of  high- 
class  poetic  fiction  must  rank  before  the 
host  of  modern  story-books — well  meant 
and  well  done  as  many  of  them  are — which 
crowd  the  Christmas  counters  :  First,  the 
positive  standard  value  of  such  literature, 
— the  noble  beauty  it  breathes ;  the  high 
lessons  of  unselfish  heroic  endeavour  which 
pervade  it,  and  which  it  instils  without  ever 
pointing  a  moral;  the  gallery  of  masterly 
characters  which  impress  themselves  on 
the  mind  forever  by  a  few  simple  strokes  ; 
the  vivid  presentation  of  the  life,  man- 
ners, and  spirit,  in  bygone  ages,  of  the  dif- 
ferent peoples,  with  the  universally  human 
element  never  absent  or  distorted.  Second, 
all  study  of  history,  with  many  of  its  at- 
tendant branches,  is  based,  according  to 
the  modern  methods  of  comparative  re- 
search and  reconstruction,  on  that  of  the 
myths  and  heroic  legends  of  the  ancient 
world.  In  becoming  familiar  with  them 
for  pleasure  and  amusement,  therefore,  the 


XIV 


Preface 


youthful  mind  will  be  storing  up  the  ma- 
terials for  future  serious  work, — nay,  when 
the  college  days  come,  it  will  find  much  of 
the  work  actually  done. 

Not  that  these  ideas  are  new  at  all. 
They  have  been  propounded  and  acted 
upon  a  hundred  times.  To  them  we  owe 
such  admirable  gems  as  Hawthorne's  and 
Kingsley's  tales  of  the  Greek  gods  and 
heroes  and,  while  on  a  lower  plane, 
Church's  attractive  selections  from  Homer, 
Virgil,  and  Herodotus,  not  to  speak  of 
numberless  other  attempts  in  the  same 
field.  Aye,  there 's  the  trouble  :  it  is  al- 
ways the  same  field,  the  everlasting  so- 
called  "  classic  "  field,  while  we  have  long 
ago  discovered  that  it  is  but  one  of  many, 
quite  as  rich  in  sterling  treasure,  quite  as 
attractive  with  brilliant  and  fragrant,  if  ex- 
otic, flowers.  Truly,  these  Graeco-Roman 
stories  seem  worn  pretty  threadbare  by 
overmuch  handling,  while  the  vast  mine  of 
the  East  and  the  North  has  been  left 
either  hardly  touched  or  quite  untouched. 
Surely  there  is  more  than  room  on  the 
book-market  for  a  series  embracing  the 


Preface  xv 

Northern  and  Oriental  epics.  To  repre- 
sent the  North  we  have  the  Anglo-Saxon 
Beowulf,  the  Swedish  Frithjof,  the  Ger- 
man Lay  of  the  Nibelungs,  the  Franco-Ger- 
man Lay  of  Roland,  the  Finnic  Kalewala, 
— all  of  them  national  epics.  In  the  East 
we  have  the  two  great  epics  of  India,  the 
Mahdbhdrata  and  the  Rdmdyana,  and  that 
of  Persia,  the  Shah-Nameh  ("  Book  of 
Kings  ").  The  Slavic  race  indeed  has  no 
rounded,  finished  literary  epic  poem,  its 
leisure  having  been  broken  in  upon  by  the 
inexorable  demands  of  an  iron  age,  which 
compelled  it,  in  self-defence,  to  go  about 
its  practical  historical  work.  But  the  ma- 
terials are  there  in  bewildering  abundance, 
in  the  form  of  separate  blocks  of  legends, 
grouped  around  an  heroic  central  figure, 
as  those  of  the  Round  Table  around  Brit- 
ish Arthur.  Of  these  blocks,  moreover, 
chips  enough  have  flown  off,  in  the  form 
of  popular  folk-tales  and  fairy  tales,'  to  yield 
a  fascinating  little  volume  of  the  kind  of 
Grimm's  Hausmarchen. 

And  now  about  the  treatment  of  the 
national  poems. 


xvi  Preface 

It  should  be  simple  and  epical  ;  faith- 
fully following  the  main  lines,  bringing 
out  also  the  characteristic  details, — the 
poetical  beauties,  picturesque  traits,  and 
original  dialogue,  as  much  as  may  be  con- 
sistent with  necessary  condensation  and, 
frequently,  with  elimination.  It  should  be 
a  consecutive,  lively  narrative,  with  the 
necessary  elucidating  explanations  incor- 
porated in  the  text  and  with  the  fewest  and 
briefest  possible  footnotes,  while  it  should 
contain  absolutely  no  critical  or  mytholog- 
ical digressions.  For,  should  such  digres- 
sions be  indulged  in,  the  work  would  bear 
to  the  epic  in  hand  the  same  relation  as, 
say,  Keightley's  Graco-Roman  Mythology 
to  the  Iliad  and  Odyssey. 

Let  me  with  a  single  example  be  a  little 
more  explicit. 

The  "Lay  of  the  Nibelungs"  ("Das 
Nibelungenlied")  would  necessarily  be 
one  of  the  most  important  contributions  to 
such  a  series  as  is  here  planned.  It  is  the 
national  epic  of  Germany,  and  has  not  yet 
been  presented  in  this  manner.  Yet  the 
names  of  the  chief  actors  —  Siegfried, 


Preface  xvii 

Kriemhilde,  Brunhilde,  Hagen — and  the 
principal  incidents  of  the  poem  have  within 
the  last  few  years  (mainly  owing  to  Wag- 
ner's tetralogy  of  operas),  become  as  fa- 
miliar as  those  of  Homer's  heroes,  so  that, 
at  first  sight,  a  new  treatment  of  what  is 
seemingly  the  same  subject  may  appear 
superfluous,  in  view  of  the  considerable 
group  of  books  treating  of  Northern  myths 
which  has  lately  been  put  on  the  market. 
But  all,  or  nearly  all,  of  these  books  were 
written  with  an  especial  view  to  the  themes 
of  Wagner's  operas,  which  takes  from 
them  scholarly  authority  and  lowers  them 
to  the  level  of  mere  books  of  the  play. 
Meanwhile  the  great  story  of  the  epic  has 
not  been  re-told. 

To  make  the  matter  clear  by  a  parallel 
hypothetic  case  :  take  the  whole  mass  of- 
myth  and  tradition  which  makes  up  the 
bulk  of  Hellenic  mythology,  heroic  and 
legendary  history,  the  heroes  and  kings 
representing  the  later  transformations  of 
the  gods.  Suppose  now  that  a  great 
modern  genius  had  thoroughly  mastered 
the  immense  material  and  written  a  series 


XV111 


Preface 


of  operas  on  themes  taken  from  it, — a  tril- 
ogy on  the  fates  of  the  doomed  House  of 
the  Atridae,  a  tragic  opera  on  the  advent- 
ures of  Perseus  and  Andromeda,  etc.  The 
operas  become  very  popular  and — the 
fashion,  but  they  are  too  erudite  to  be 
generally  intelligible.  Then  there  come 
men  who  tell  the  stories  of  these  myths 
and  heroic  legends  with  the  special  object 
of  making  the  operas  intelligible  and  the 
subjects  of  them  familiar.  The  result  is  a 
sort  of  course  of  classic  mythology,  not 
told  spontaneously  and  methodically,  not 
similar — let  us  say  again — to  a  text-book 
mythology,  but  biassed  and  bent  to  the 
main  object  of  popularising  the  operas — 
a  running  commentary  on  them — at  the 
same  time  showing  the  connection  and 
transformation  between  the  older  (divine- 
mythical)  and  the  later  (heroic-mythical) 
cycles,  and  bringing  in  the  interpretative 
methods  of  modern  comparative  mythol- 
ogy. Useful  and  instructive  work  of  its 
kind.  But  where,  in  all  this,  are  the  Iliad 
and  Odyssey? 

This  work  has  been  well   and   amply 


Preface  xix 

done  with  the  myths  and  heroic  legends 
of  the  North.  But  where,  in  it  all,  is  the 
"  Lay  of  the  Nibelungs " — a  complete, 
rounded  piece  of  literary  art,  in  itself  a 
gallery  of  characters,  working  out  a  per- 
fect plot  in  a  series  of  well  conceived  and 
finely  rendered  situations?  What  we 
want,  in  telling  it  to  the  young,  is  to  take 
the  epic  just  as  it  is,  condensing  and  ex- 
purgating, but  not  changing ;  rendering 
the  characters,  scenes,  situations  with  the 
faithfulness  and  reverence  due  to  the 
masterpiece  of  a  race ;  using,  as  much  as 
possible,  especially  in  the  dialogue,  the 
words  of  the  original.  Whether  Siegfried 
is  the  young  smith  of  the  Edda,  and  Brun- 
hilde  is  the  Valkyrie,  Odin's  daughter, 
and  Hagen  a  reflection  of  Loki,  and 
whether  the  whole  is  the  myth  of  Sun, 
Earth,  and  Winter,  preserved  in  the  vari- 
ous nursery  tales  of  the  Sleeping  Beauty 
— all  these  things  we  have  no  business 
with  at  all. 

This,  of  course,  is  the  way  to  treat  the 
Eastern  epics  as  well ;  to  which  we  would 
add  a  few  of  the  Hindu  dramas,  such  as 


xx  Preface 

Kalidasa's  Sakuntala  and  Urvasi,  the 
stories  of  which  could  be  told  after  the 
manner  of  the  Lambs'  Tales  from  Shake- 
speare. 

This  series  being  intended  as  parallel 
reading  to  history  and  planned  to  illustrate 
history,  it  might  very  properly  include 
standard  historical  novels,  ancient  and  me- 
diaeval, duly  condensed  and  adapted  ;  such 
works  as  Felix  Dahn's  A  Fight  for  Rome 
("  Ein  Kampf  um  Rom  "),  some  of  Ebers's 
Egyptian  and  Roman  stories,  Flaubert's 
Salammbo,  Gautier's  Le  Roman  de  la 
Momie,  and  even  English  romances  like 
Zenobia,  Reade's  Cloister  and  Hearth,  Bul- 
wer's  Last  of  the  Barons,  and  others.  Of 
course,  there  are  great  difficulties  in  the 
way,  none  so  great  as  in  handling  such  a 
book  as  Salammbo,  Flaubert's  Carthaginian 
novel,  for  youthful  reading — that  marvel- 
lous work  of  gorgeous  imagination  and 
scholarly  reconstruction.  At  first  sight, 
it  seems  impossible  to  fit  it  for  young 
readers  without  disfiguring  it  ;  yet  it  can 
be  done.  The  book  has  been  read  aloud, 
with  the  necessary  cuts,  to  classes  of  girls, 


Preface  xxi 

with  the  best  results,  both  as  to  amuse- 
ment and  instruction.  It  requires  some 
tact  and  lightness  of  touch,  together  with 
great  reverence  for  your  subject,  entering 
into  the  spirit  of  it  thoroughly,  and  work 
— that 's  all. 

A  word  now  on  the  language.  It  should 
be  simple,  though  not  untinged  with  quaint- 
ness,  and  even  in  places  a  certain  degree 
of  archaism,  bearing  in  mind,  above  all, 
Kingsley's  strictures  on  "long  words" 
(words  of  five  syllables  he  wants  fined). 
This  does  not  exclude  the  use  of  what 
may  be  called  good  literary  words,  i.  e., 
words  not  in  use  in  commonplace  conver- 
sation but  quite  at  home  in  good  literature, 
especially  if  they  belong  to  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  side  of  the  language.  It  is  no  mat- 
ter that  such  words  may  sound  at  first 
unfamiliar  to  young  readers  ;  they  cannot 
too  soon  be  made  familiar,  for  it  is  so 
much  done  towards  the  comprehension  of 
the  higher  class  of  literature  ;  and  besides, 
we  cannot  begin  too  soon  to  enrich  the 
young  people's  vocabulary,  the  poverty  of 
which,  even  among  persons  of  average 


XX11 


Preface 


culture,  is  among  the  most  distressing  re- 
sults of  a  mere  public-school  education. 

But  great  changes  are  coming  over  the 
schools  as  well  as  over  other  branches  of 
public  life  ;  changes  in  the  right  direction, 
which  may  shortly  amount  to  a  revolution, 
when  there  will  be  no  reason  why  these 
Tales  of  the  Heroic  Ages  should  not, 
although  addressed  to  young  people  at 
large,  find  a  place,  if  not  in  the  school 
curriculum,  at  least  in  the  wide  margin  of 
so-called  "  Supplementary  Reading."  It 
is  with  this  expectation  that  each  of  the 
tales  will  be  followed  by  a  brief  historical 
and  critical  notice  for  the  especial  use  of 
public-school  teachers  and  instructors 
generally. 

May  they  prove  acceptable,  not  alone 
to  the  young,  to  whom  they  are  specially 
addressed,  but  also,  as  has  been  felicitously 
said,  to  "  the  old  with  young  tastes  "  ! 

Z.  A.  RAGOZIN. 
ORANGE,  N.  J., 

June,  1898. 


CONTENTS 
SIEGFRIED 

PACK 

PREFACE       .        . iii 

I. — SIEGFRIED'S  BOYHOOD  AND  YOUTH       .         .  3 

II. — SIEGFRIED  GOES  A-WooiNG  10 

III.— FRIENDSHIP 18 

IV. — BOUND  FOR  ICELAND 31 

V. — GUNTHER'S  WOOING 39 

VI. — THE  DEPARTURE 50 

VII.— BETROTHED 55 

VIII.— THE  WEDDING 61 

IX. — THE  INVITATION 70 

X.— THE  VISIT 76 

XI.— THE  QUARREL  80 

XII.— TREASON 91 

XIII.— SIEGFRIED'S  DEATH 96 

XIV. — SIEGFRIED'S  FUNERAL 106 

XV. — KRIEMHILDE'S  WIDOWHOOD.        .        .        .114 

XVI.— KING  ETZEL'S  WOOING 124 

XVII.— IN  HUNLAND 136 

XVIII.— THE  JOURNEY 144 

XIX.— THE  ARRIVAL        .        .        .        ...  152 

XX.— ON  GUARD 158 

XXI. — KRIEMHILDE'S  REVENGE        ....  169 

NOTE  ON  THE  "  NIBELUNGENLIED"     .         .        .        .  200 
xxiii 


xxiv  Contents 

BEOWULF 

PAGE 

PROLOGUE 213 

LA  Y  I.—GRENDEL 

I.— HEOROT 219 

II.— GRENDEL ,222 

III.— A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 226 

IV.— THE  WARDEN 228 

V.— THE  ARRIVAL 231 

VI. — THE  RECEPTION  AND  THE  PLEDGE.        .         .  234 

VII.— THE  FEAST 237 

VIII. — THE  COMBAT 244 

IX. — REJOICINGS  AND  THANKSGIVINGS    .        .        .  249 

X. — HEOROT  RESTORED — FEASTING  AND  GIFTS     .  253 

LAY  II.— GRENDEL 'S  MOTHER 

I. — THE  AVENGER 259 

II.— THE  MERE 263 

III.— UNDER  THE  WATERS 267 

IV.— THE  RETURN 272 

V. — LAST  WORDS 275 

VI. — HOMEWARD  BOUND 283 

VII.— AT  HOME 287 

LAY  III.— THE  DRAGON 

I. — THE  TREASURE 294 

II. — THE  ATTACK 299 


III.— WIGLAF 


304 


IV. — VICTORY  AND  DEATH 307 

V. — WIGLAF'S  REBUKE — DISMAY  AND  TEARS         .     313 

VI. — THE  OBSEQUIES 318 

NOTE  ON  THE  "  BEOWULF  "        ...        .        .        .323 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

THE  DEATH  OF  BEOWULF,  Frontispiece 
SIEGFRIED  AND  KRIEMHILDE  MEET  .  26 

BRUNHILDE  RECEIVES  THE  BURGUN- 

DIANS          .         ...  42 

DEATH  OF  SIEGFRIED  .  .  .102 
DANKWART  BRINGS  EVIL  TIDINGS  .  1 76 
THE  LANDING  OF  BEOWULF  .  .  228 

QUEEN  WEALHTHEOW  PLEDGES  BEO- 
WULF .         .         .         .         .     242 

BEOWULF  AND  THE  OLD   WIFE  OF 

THE  MERE  268 


SIEGFRIED 

THE  HERO  OF  THE  NORTH 

AND 
KRIEMHILDE'S  GREAT  REVENGE 

*'  The  Lay  of  the  Nibelungs" 
"  Das  Nibelungenlied  " 


f  California  at  Los 


University 


SIEGFRIED'S  BOYHOOD  AND  YOUTH 


ONCE  upon  a  time,  there  lived  in  the 
Netherlands,  in  Xante,  a  mighty 
castle  by  the  River  Rhine,  a  powerful  king 
and  queen,  Siegmund  and  Sieglinde.  Far 
and  wide  spread  their  fame,  but  it  was  as 
nothing  to  that  which  their  glorious  son, 
the  hero  Siegfried,  won.  Even  as  a  boy 
and  beardless  youth,  he  performed  deeds 
of  might,  such  and  so  many  that  his  name 
became  familiar  in  all  the  German  lands. 
Of  his  early  adventures,  two  were  so  won- 
derful that  they  made  him  immortal  in 
song  and  story  for  all  times. 

Of  these  adventures,  one  was  the  slay- 
ing, in  single  combat,  of  a  dreadful 
monster  known  as  the  "  Dragon  of  the 
Linden-Tree,"  because  he  made  his  home 


4  Siegfried 

in  the  thick  foliage  of  a  huge  linden,  these 
trees  often  growing  in  Germany  to  almost 
as  great  a  size  and  age  as  the  lordly  oak. 
All  the  country  around  was  kept  in  dread 
by  the  fierce  and  murderous  "  Linden- 
Dragon."  But  nobody  was  brave  enough 
to  go  into  the  forest  and  fight  him.  So 
young  Siegfried  did  his  people  a  great 
service  by  his  daring  in  seeking  out  the 
Dragon  and  killing  him ;  and  it  was  no 
wonder  they  praised  him  and  loved  him, 
and  boasted  of  him  to  their  neighbours. 
But  he  was  to  reap  some  good  for  him- 
self too  from  his  brave  deed.  He  noticed 
that  wherever  the  Dragon's  blood  had 
touched  his  flesh  the  skin  had  become 
hard  and  unfeeling.  So  he  bathed  his 
whole  body  in  the  blood,  face  and  all,  and 
became  as  though  coated  with  a  thin  cas- 
ing of  horn,  which  made  him  invulner- 
able,— that  is,  not  to  be  hurt  by  the  cut 
or  thrust  of  any  weapon  whatever. 

Young  Siegfried's  other  adventure 
brought  him  even  greater  glory,  besides 
such  wealth  and  power  as  never  were 
man's  before  or  after  him  ;  yet,  in  the  end, 


Boyhood  and  Youth  5 

— in  far  remote  later  days  and  through 
many  strange  happenings, — it  was  also  to 
bring  sorrow  and  destruction  on  himself 
and  many  brave  men,  both  true  and  false. 
Siegfried  loved  to  ride  out  alone,  hunt- 
ing, or  simply  to  see  the  world,  and  take 
any  chance  to  display  his  great  strength 
and  daring.  Once,  when  he  had  ridden 
farther  than  usual,  he  found  himself  in 
the  land  of  the^Nibelungs,  where  lived 
wizards,  and  giants,  and  dwarfs,  and 
things  were  generally  queer  and  uncanny. 
When  Siegfried  arrived,  the  old  king  had 
just  died,  and  he  found  the  king's  two  sons 
quarrelling  over  the  division  of  his  treas- 
ure. It  was  an  ancient  and  a  mighty 
hoard  ;  not  a  hundred  farm  waggons  could 
have  carried  all  the  gold  and  jewels.  And 
it  had  this  wonderful  property :  that  no 
matter  how  much  was  taken  from  it,  the 
hoard  never  grew  less.  But  a  curse  had 
been  laid  on  it  in  olden  times,  that  it 
should  work  nought  but  harm  to  whom- 
soever was  the  owner  of  it.  Wherefore 
the  old  Nibelung  king  had  had  it  hid 
away  from  sight  and  use  in  a  deep  mount- 


6  Siegfried 

ain  cave.  Now  it  had  been  brought 
forth,  and  lay  spread  out  in  glittering 
heaps  before  the  two  heirs  and  their 
knights.  They  haggled  and  wrangled, 
and  could  not  come  to  an  understand- 
ing. So  when  Siegfried  suddenly  stood 
before  them,  they  were  glad,  and  asked 
him  to  divide  the  treasure  between  them  ; 
and,  to  show  how  thankful  they  would  be, 
they  at  once  presented  him  with  their 
father's  own  good  sword,  named  Balmung. 
But  Siegfried,  try  as  he  would,  could  not 
get  them  to  agree,  they  were  so  greedy 
and  unreasonable  ;  and  when  he  spoke  to 
them  sternly,  they  grew  angry,  and  their 
people  began  to  threaten  him.  Then 
Siegfried's  blood  was  up.  Grasping  his 
new  prize,  Balmung,  he  attacked  that 
armed  band  single-handed. 

Now  there  was  magic  power  in  the 
sword,  which  had  been  forged  in  olden 
times  by  a  wizard  with  many  a  strong 
spell.  And  magic  work  it  did  in  the 
young  hero's  hand,  laying  low  twelve 
chosen  knights  and  many  of  the  Nibe- 
lung  men,  and  lastly  the  two  young  kings 


Boyhood  and  Youth  7 

themselves.  After  that  the  warriors  were 
cowed  into  submission,  and  gave  up  to 
Siegfried  the  treasure  and  the  whole 
country,  with  all  its  castles.  Only  the 
faithful  dwarf,  AlberichL  still  fought  furi- 
ously, bent  on  avenging  his  young  mas- 
ters. It  was  like  a  mouse  fighting  a  great 
lion,  and  would  have  been  laughable  but 
for  the  poor  dwarf's  devotion,  which  made 
him  forgetful  of  his  own  life.  Siegfried 
admired  him  heartily,  and  not  only  spared 
him,  but  askecTTTirn  if  he  would  not  like 
to  take  service  with  himself.  The  dwarf 
replied  that,  now  his  masters  were  dead, 
there  was  no  hero  he  would  as  lief  serve  as 
Siegfried,  for  none  was  worthier.  Then 
Siegfried,  after  binding  him  with  many 
strong  oaths,  made  him  his  Keeper  of  the 
Hoard,  which  was  forthwith  taken  back 
to  the  cave  in  the  mountain.  Alberich 
wore  the  famous  tarn-cape — the  cloak 
which  makes  the  wearer  invisible — and 
Siegfried  took  it  from  him  and  carried  it 
home,  together  with  the  good  sword  Bal- 
mung,  as  proud  trophies  of  his  ride  into 
the  land  of  the  Nibelungs.  Ah  me,  little 


8  Siegfried 

he  thought  what  grievous  harm  was  to 
come  of  that  fateful  ride  ! 

At  length  young  Siegfried  arrived  at  the 
age  of  manhood,  when  noble  youths  are 
wont  to  be  solemnly  girded  with  the  sword 
and  to  take  their  place  among  the  warrior 
worthies  of  their  country.  Then  King 
Siegmund  sent  forth  heralds  through  his 
own  lands  and  those  of  his  neighbour 
kings,  to  give  notice  of  the  great  festival 
to  be  held  at  his  court,  and  to  invite  all 
the  high-born  youths  of  the  same  age  as 
Siegfried  to  come  and  receive  the  sword 
of  manhood  together  with  him.  Four  hun- 
dred young  heroes  prepared  to  answer  the 
King's  call.  And  many  a  fair  maiden  and 
grave  matron  bent  for  many  a  day  over 
loom  and  broidering-frame,  that  the  youths 
might  bear  themselves  bravely  at  feast  and 
dance  in  richest  robes  and  mantles  glitter- 
ing with  cunning  work  in  gold  and  flashing 
with  gems.  Their  fathers  saw  to  their 
steeds  and  armour,  and  never  had  so  gal- 
lant a  troop  gathered  to  do  honour  to  so 
young  a  prince. 

Seven  days  there  was  high  feasting,  and 


Boyhood  and  Youth  9 

there  were  knightly  games  and  tourna- 
ments, that  the  young  warriors  might  dis- 
play their  grace  and  prowess  ;  and  gifts  and 
praise  were  showered  on  winners  and  losers 
alike,  for  all  did  well.  And  the  memory 
of  Siegfried's  knighting  lived  long  in  the 
land. 


II 

SIEGFRIED  GOES  A-WOOING 


ABOUT  this  time  it  came  to  pass  that 
a  rumour  reached  the  Netherlands,  of 
the  most  beauteous  royal  maid  Kriemhilde, 
only  sister  of  the  three  wealthy  kings  of 
Burgundy,  the  brothers  Gunther,  Gernot, 
and  young  Giselher.  So  wondrous  fair 
was  she  said  to  be,  that  not  a  month  went 
by  but  some  noble  or  princely  suitor  rode 
to  Worms  on  the  Rhine,  to  ask  her  in 
marriage  of  her  brothers,  the  kings.  But 
each  and  all  rode  away  disappointed,  for 
the  right  suitor  had  not  come  yet,  and 
Kriemhilde  would  not  wed  unless  she 
loved.  - 

Siegfried  grew  thoughtful  as  he  listened 
to  the  tales  of  the  lady's  beauty  and  her 
pride,  till  one  day  he  declared  to  his  father, 


Siegfried  Goes  A-Wooing       n 

"This  maiden  I  will  wed,  or  none."  King 
Siegmund  was  sorely  grieved  and  tried 
hard  to  make  him  change  his  mind,  "  for," 
he  said,  "both  Gunther  and  his  brother 
Gernot  are  haughty  men  ;  I  have  known 
them  long.  And  so  are  their  knights,  and 
first  among  them  Hagen,  fiercest  and 
haughtiest  of  them  all.  I  fear  me  much 
that  evil  may  come  of  this  wooing." 

"What's  the  odds?"  Siegfried  replied. 
"  If  I  may  not  win  the  maid  in  kindness, 
my  strong  right  arm  shall  help  me  to  my 
bride,  aye,  and  to  her  brothers'  lands." 

"  Nay,  speak  not  so,"  King  Siegmund 
warned  ;  "  for  should  such  words  be  carried 
across  the  Rhine,  never  shouldst  thou  ride 
into  King  Gunther's  land.  The  maiden 
is  not  to  be  had  by  force.  But  if  thou 
must  e'en  take  thine  own  way,  I  will  send 
to  all  our  friends,  that  they  may  provide 
thee  with  a  seemly  following." 

"  Not  so  !  "  cried  Siegfried  ;  "  I  will  do 
my  wooing  myself.  Twelve  knights,  no 
more,  twelve  trusty  comrades,  I  will  take. 
These,  father,  give  me,  and  thy  blessing." 

Tearfully,  and  sore  oppressed  at  heart 


12  Siegfried 

the  King  and  Queen  bade  their  dear  son 
Godspeed.  But  he  comforted  them  with 
words  of  loving  cheer  : 

"  Ye  shall  not  weep  for  me,  nor  fear  for 
my  life.  Good  tidings  shall  ye  hear,  of 
how  we  did  you  honour  in  the  land  of  the 
Burgundians." 

On  the  seventh  morning  of  their  journey 
the  little  band  rode  into  Worms  by  the 
Rhine.  All  silk  and  gold  their  raiment, 
silk  and  gold  their  horses'  bridles  and 
breast-gear ;  their  burnished  shields  and 
helmets  flashing  in  the  sun,  their  long 
swords  clanking  against  their  spurs, — thus 
they  made  their  entrance  into  King  Gun- 
ther's  city.  All  the  folks  ran  out  into  the 
streets  to  gaze  at  them. 

Soon  they  were  met  by  knights  and 
squires  from  the  palace,  who  bade  them 
welcome  to  their  master's  land  and  courte- 
ously offered  to  relieve  them  of  their 
shields  and  take  their  chargers'  bridles. 
But  Siegfried  curtly  bade  them  let  the 
horses  stand  and  not  carry  away  the 
shields,  but  take  word  to  the  King  that  a 
strange  knight  would  fain  have  speech 
of  him. 


Siegfried  Goes  A- Wooing       13 

King  Gunther  was  even  now  standing 
with  his  most  trusted  peers  at  a  window 
of  his  palace,  and  looking  out  on  the  no- 
ble guests,  as  they  stood  by  their  steeds, 
watchful  and  observant.  Not  one  of  the 
Burgundians  could  tell  who  they  were  or 
from  what  country,  except  only  Hagen, 
Lord  of  Tronje,  the  wise  and  crafty ;  he 
at  once  knew  Siegfried,  though  he  had 
never  seen  him,  by  his  matchless  beauty 
and  right  royal  mien.  He  told  of  the 
battle  with  the  Dragon  and  the  adventure 
with  the  Nibelungs,  and  gave  it  as  his 
advice  that  the  young  hero  should  be  re- 
ceived well  and  honourably,  and  great 
care  taken  not  to  provoke  him  to  anger. 

"  We  will  go  down  to  meet  him,"  said 
the  King. 

"  You  may  well  do  that,"  said  Hagen, 
"  for  he  comes  of  a  noble  race,  and  is  the 
son  of  a  powerful  king.  And,  from  his 
looks,  methinks  it  is  no  idle  errand  which 
brings  him  to  us.  " 

Then  King  Gunther,  his  brothers,  and 
his  peers  went  down  into  the  palace  yard 
where  Siegfried  stood  on  guard,  and 
greeted  him  most  courteously. 


14  Siegfried 

"  Whence,  noble  Siegfried,  came  you  to 
our  land  ? "  the  royal  host  kindly  asked, 
"  and  what  seek  you  here  at  Worms  by  the 
Rhine  ?  " 

"  That,"  spoke  the  guest,  "  shall  not  be 
kept  from  you.  I  have  heard  it  said  in 
my  father's  land,  that  at  your  court  were 
found  the  boldest  champions  ever  king 
won  for  his  own  :  that  is  what  brings  me 
hither.  And  of  yourself  I  hear  great 
praise  for  manly  worth  ;  folks  say  no  king 
so  brave  was  ever  seen  in  all  these  lands. 
I  cannot  rest  until  I  find  out  the  truth. 
I,  too,  am  bold  and  brave,  and  am,  some 
day,  to  wear  a  crown.  Fain  would  I  have 
men  say  of  me  that  I  am  fit  to  rule — my 
life  and  honour  on  the  venture.  There- 
fore, if  so  be  you  are  all  that  rumour  tells, 
I  challenge  you  to  combat,  my  inheritance 
against  your  land  and  castles." 

The  King  was  dumb  with  wonder,  and 
so  were  all  his  men — it  was  so  strange 
and  unforeseen.  But  the  knights  began 
to  show  signs  of  anger  and  could  hardly 
be  held  back  while  Gunther  and  Gernot 
spoke  mild  and  reasonable  words,  wishing 


Siegfried  Goes  A- Wooing      15 

to  turn  Siegfried's  perverse  mood.  But 
the  Lord  Ortewein,  of  Metz,  the  King's 
marshal  and  Hagen's  nephew,  spoiled  all 
by  a  rash  and  insulting  speech,  which  met 
with  a  quick  retort,  when  there  were  calls 
to  arms  and  the  uproar  became  so  violent 
that  Gernot's  sternest  command  did  not 
for  a  while  avail  to  lay  it. 

"  No  rashness,  on  your  lives  ! "  he  cried, 
when  he  at  last  gained  a  hearing.  "  The 
noble  Siegfried  has  done  us  no  wrong  as 
yet,  nor  will  he  do  us  any,  I  feel  sure  ;  we 
shall,  I  trust,  win  him  for  our  friend  yet." 

"  Most  princely  hero,"  said  young  Gisel- 
her,    King    Gunther's   youngest   brother, 
gentle  and  winsome  in  looks  and  manner, 
now  speaking  for  the  first  time,  "  you  shall 
be  our  right  welcome  guest ;  so  shall  your  - 
trusty  comrades.     We  would  gladly  serve  J^ 
you  in  all  things,  my  friends  and  I." 

And  as  he  spoke,  cupbearers  appeared 
and    King    Gunther's    noblest   wine   was   < 
handed  around.     And  the  royal  host  was 
first  to  pledge  the  strangers. 

"  All  that  is  ours,  so  you  ask  for  it  in 
courtesy,  shall  be  yours  as  well  ;  we  will 


1 6  Siegfried 

share  with  you  freely  our  blood  and 
goods." 

Siegfried  could  not  but  feel  shamed  at 
so  much  forbearance  and  gentleness.  Be- 
sides, he  thought  of  the  fair  maiden  he 
came  to  woo,  and,  falling  into  a  milder 
mood,  suffered  himself  and  his  knights  to 
be  led  into  the  palace.  There  they  stayed 
week  after  week,  and  the  time  sped  away 
unheeded,  in  feasts,  athletic  games,  and 
knightly  exercises.  In  these  Siegfried 
showed  himself  skilful  far  beyond  not  only 
his  own  comrades,  but  the  most  famed 
champions  among  the  Burgundians.  The 
ladies  of  the  court  often  graced  the  ring 
where  the  youths  held  their  friendly  con- 
tests, and  when  one  or  other  would  ask, 
"  Who  is  the  knight  so  noble  of  presence, 
so  rich  of  garb  ? "  somebody  would  be 
sure  to  answer,  "  That  is  young  Siegfried, 
the  hero  from  the  Netherlands." 

Siegfried  was  always  ready  for  anything 
that  was  proposed,  be  it  ride  or  hunt  or 
joust ;  but  he  often  fretted  in  his  heart 
because  he  had  never  been  thrown  in 
the  Lady  Kriemhilde's  way  yet,  and  felt 


Siegfried  Goes  A- Wooing      17 

too  bashful  to  ask  plainly  for  an  intro- 
duction. 

So  a  whole  year  passed  away,  and  the 
hero  had  as  yet  had  no  glimpse  of  the 
maiden  from  whom  so  much  joy  and  so 
much  woe  were  to  come  to  him. 


Ill 

FRIENDSHIP 

AND  now  it  came  to  pass  that  strange 
tidings  stirred  men's  minds  in  Bur- 
gundy. Messengers  came  with  words  of 
anger  and  defiance  from  Ludeger,  King 
of  the  Saxons,  and  his  brother  Lude' 
gast,  King  of  the  Danes.  Not  without 
trembling  did  they  declare  their  errand 
when  they  were  brought  before  King 
Gunther,  for  he  was  known  to  have  a 
violent  temper.  They  brought  a  formal 
challenge  and  declaration  of  war.  Within 
twelve  weeks  the  two  kings  would  pitch 
their  tents  before  Worms  by  the  Rhine ; 
let  King  Gunther  look  to  his  crown. 

With  a  heavy  heart  the  King  called  his 
friends  together  and  asked  their  advice. 
His  brother  Gernot  took  the  news  lightly  : 

18 


Friendship  19 

"  We  have  our  good  swords,"  he  said, 
"and  we  must  all  die  some  day.  Let 
us  then  not  forget  what  is  due  to  our 
honour  and  give  the  foe  a  hearty  wel- 
come." 

But  Hagen  the  wary  looked  on  the  mat- 
ter more  soberly : 

"  I  am  sorry  for  this,"  he  said.  "  Lude- 
gast  and  Ludeger  are  overbearing  men 
and  very  powerful.  We  cannot  get  ready 
in  so  short  a  time.  Better  call  in  Sieg- 
fried and  tell  him  the  news,"  he  added, 
after  a  moment's  thought. 

This  advice  pleased  Gunther  greatly. 
He  went  himself  to  seek  Siegfried,  who 
quickly  cheered  him  with  words  of  com- 
fort and  friendship. 

"  Let  not  your  hearts  be  troubled," 
the  young  hero  said,  "but  leave  the  mat- 
ter to  me.  I  will  engage  that  the  foe 
shall  never  even  see  your  country.  Let 
them  come  thirty  thousand  strong,  I  will 
be  a  match  for  them  with  one  thousand. 
That  thousand  you  must  give  me  of 
your  men,  since  I  have  only  twelve  of 
my  own ;  and  let  Hagen  come  with  me, 


20  Siegfried 

his  brother  Dankwart,  and  his  nephew 
Ortewein ;  also  worthy  Folker,  to  bear 
the  banner." 

King  Gunther  now  sent  for  the  messen- 
gers, and  thus  spoke  to  them  : 

"  Tell  your  kings  to  think  twice  before 
they  start  on  this  venture,  or  they  may 
rue  the  day,  unless,  indeed,  all  my  friends 
run  away  from  me." 

With  this  he  dismissed  them,  to  their 
great  joy,  with  a  safe-conduct  and  many 
rich  gifts.  And  when  they  returned  to 
Denmark  and  reported  to  King  Ludegast 
how  they  had  sped  on  their  errand,  they 
told  him  that  Gunther  had  many  a  bold 
champion  at  his  court.  "  Towering  among 
the  others,"  they  said,  "was  one  who  stood 
nearest  before  the  King ;  people  said  his 
name  was  Siegfried,  the  hero  from  the 
Netherlands." 

Then  Ludegast  was  sorry  he  had  sent 
so  rude  a  message.  But  what  was  done 
could  not  be  undone,  let  him  regret  it  ever 
so  much,  and  the  only  sensible  thing  now 
was  to  hasten  and  strengthen  the  prepara- 
tions. When  the  two  kings  joined  forces, 


Friendship  21 

they  found  themselves  at  the  head  of  forty 
thousand  men,  and  they  did  not  tarry  a 
day  on  the  march  to  Burgundy. 

But  Siegfried  was  even  quicker.  He 
had  promised  Gunther  the  enemy  should 
not  see  his  country,  and  he  was  as  good 
as  his  word.  He  made  such  good  speed 
with  Gunther's  army  that  he  surprised 
the  two  kings  before  they  could  ride  forth 
out  of  Saxony.  He  had  the  good  fortune 
to  meet  King  Ludegast  of  Denmark  in 
the  very  first  battle,  and  took  him  prisoner, 
sorely  wounded,  with  his  own  hand,  him- 
self untouched,  for  every  blow  fell  harm- 
less on  his  broad  burnished  shield. 

King  Ludegast  was  taken  to  the  rear 
of  the  Burgundian  army.  There  Sieg- 
fried hurriedly  commended  him  to  Hagen's 
care,  but  would  not  tarry  a  moment  him- 
self for  rest. 

"  I  have  much  more  to  do  before  night," 
he  cried,  "  so  life  and  limb  be  safe.  Many 
a  maid  and  matron  will  mourn  this  day 
in  Saxony." 

And  he  rushed  back  into  the  fray,  the 
princes  of  Burgundy  close  at  his  side. 


22  Siegfried 

The  Saxons  now  had  joined  the  Danes, 
and  both  stood  their  ground  bravely, 
giving  blow  for  blow.  Three  times  Sieg- 
fried with  his  own  twelve  knights  had  cut 
his  way  into  the  Saxon  ranks,  and  had 
been  repulsed  as  many  times,  before  they 
caught  sight  of  King  Ludeger  and  were 
seen  by  him. 

But  when  the  Saxon  did  perceive  the 
hero  from  the  Netherlands,  with  his  match- 
less sword  Balmung  swung  high  above  his 
head,  he  was  filled  with  rage.  The  two 
champions  rode  at  each  other  with  such 
a  furious  shock  that  both  the  armies 
fell  back,  leaving  the  field  free  for  them 
and  their  chosen  knights.  Ludeger  plied 
his  sword  so  well  that  Siegfried's  horse 
fell  under  him ;  but  it  rose  to  its  feet  the 
next  moment.  Again  and  again  the  two 
rode  at  each  other,  and  all  around  them 
spears  flew,  swords  clashed  and  clanged 
in  mortal  strife.  Many  a  shield  was  bent, 
many  a  helmet  cleft,  and  knight  after 
knight  dropped  headlong  from  the  saddle. 
At  last  King  Ludeger  stayed  his  hand  and 
called  aloud  to  his  men  : 


Friendship  23 

"  Cease  from  the  strife,  my  liegemen 
all !  King  Siegmund's  son,  the  mighty 
Siegfried,  is  against  us — it  was  an  evil 
wind  that  blew  him  hither." 

He  commanded  the  banners  to  be  low- 
ered, and  sued  for  peace.  His  prayer  was 
granted,  but  Siegfried  ordered  him  to  fol- 
low him  as  hostage  to  Burgundy.  Five 
hundred  captives  went  with  the  kings. 
The  Danes,  shamed  and  crestfallen,  re- 
turned home  to  Denmark. 

Siegfried  and  Gernot  sent  fleet  mes- 
sengers to  Worms  with  the  glad  tidings 
and  to  bid  King  Gunther  prepare  for  their 
coming.  There  was  much  wondering  and 
questioning,  and  the  women  could  not 
hear  enough  of  the  glorious  tale. 

One  of  the  messengers  was  secretly 
taken  to  the  Lady  Kriemhilde,  for  there 
was  one  to  whom  she  had  silently  given 
her  heart  and  of  whom  she  would  fain 
hear  more,  unwatched  and  at  her  ease. 
She  asked  who  of  all  the  princes  and  the 
knights  had  borne  himself  best  in  the 
great  battle. 

"  Noble  lady,"  answered  the  messenger, 


24  Siegfried 

"  all  did  well  ;  but  if  I  may  speak  the 
whole  truth,  no  one  compared  with  the 
noble  stranger  from  the  Netherlands. 
What  our  knights  achieved, — Dankwart 
and  Hagen,  and  all  the  King's  liegemen, 
— was  but  as  wind  to  the  prowess  of  Sieg- 
fried, King  Siegmund's  son.  The  great- 
est battle  ever  seen  was  fought  by  him 
against  the  two  kings,  Ludegast  and  Lu- 
deger.  Both  were  made  captive  by  his 
strong  hand  and  will  rue  it  to  the  end  of 
their  days  that  they  sought  to  quarrel 
with  our  kings.  Never  yet  so  many  pris- 
oners came  to  this  country  as  he  is  bring- 
ing even  now.  Five  hundred  and  more, 
sound  of  limb,  and  at  least  eighty  sorely 
wounded,  on  stretchers, — that  is  mostly 
Siegfried's  work.  And  so  those  who 
challenged  us  out  of  sheer  arrogance  are 
coming  as  captives  to  King  Gunther's 
land." 

As  the  Lady  Kriemhilde  heard  the  won- 
drous tale,  she  blushed  rosy  red,  and 
spoke  graciously  to  the  messenger  : 

"  Thou  hast  brought  me  joyful  news, 
indeed.  For  thy  guerdon  I  shall  send 


Friendship  25 

thee  handsome  garments  and  ten  marks 

1 1  » 
in  gold. 

When  King  Gunther  asked  how  many 
'  had  fallen  in  the  field,  it  was  found  that  he 
had  lost  only  sixty  men,  none  among  them 
of  great  note.  In  his  joy  he  bade  that  the 
wounded  be  cared  for  by  his  most  skilful 
surgeons,  friends  and  captive  foes  alike. 
A  great  court  festival  with  tournaments 
was  announced  and  the  term  fixed  six 
weeks  from  date,  so  all  might  have  time 
for  proper  rest  and  healing,  and  those  who 
so  wished  might  go  to  their  homes  to  be 
tended. 

Then  Siegfried  would  have  taken  his 
leave.  But  King  Gunther  prayed  him 
most  lovingly  to  tarry  yet  a  while.  He 
could  not  offer  to  reward  him — his  guest 
was  too  great  for  that ;  but  in  all  friend- 
ship and  honour  he  and  his  brothers 
showed  their  sense  of  his  services,  and 
so  did  their  peers.  Now  Siegfried  had 
not  been  bent  in  earnest  on  departing,  for 
thoughts  of  the  maiden  filled  his  heart, 
and  so  he  was  fain  to  stay. 

And    Gernot,  who   may  have   guessed 


26  Siegfried 

what  was  in  his  inmost  thoughts  and  what 
would  please  him  best,  spoke  secretly  to 
the  King : 

"  Gunther,  my  dear  brother,  we  owe 
the  hero  who  has  so  freely  done  us  such 
great  service  a  token  of  regard  that  will 
make  him  proud  before  all  the  other 
knights.  Let  us  take  him  to  our  sister. 
Let  her,  who  never  yet  received  knight 
in  her  bower,  give  him  kindly  greeting, 
that  we  may  win  him  for  our  friend  for- 
ever." 

When  the  message  was  given  young 
Siegfried,  he  was  so  overcome  with  joy 
that  he  could  hardly  master  it  enough  to 
bear  himself  with  proper  dignity.  And 
when  he  actually  stood  before  Kriemhilde 
and  heard  her  sweet  voice  bid  him  "  Wel- 
come, Lord  Siegfried,  noblest  of  knights  ! " 
he  could  only  bow  low  and  look  with 
speechless  longing  in  her  lovely,  blushing 
face.  He  had  seen  her  before  from  a  dis- 
tance, when  she  walked  from  the  palace 
to  the  ladies'  seats  to  view  the  tourna- 
ments, with  her  mother,  Queen  Ute,  and 
with  her  kinswomen  and  attendants,  and 


Friendship  27 

he  had  thought  then  that  she  shone  forth 
among  them  as  the  dawn  from  among 
sad-coloured  clouds.  But  it  was  a  very 
different  thing  to  stand  before  her  as  her 
special,  much-honoured  guest,  and  be  al- 
lowed to  touch  her  delicate  hand.  He 
thought  that  in  all  the  years  to  come  no 
summer  day  or  May  morning  ever  could 
yield  him  half  the  delight  that  filled 
him  now.  They  made  so  fair  a  sight  as 
they  thus  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  hall, 
that  of  all  the  gathered  guests  not  one 
had  eyes  for  any  but  the  stately  pair. 
But  when  the  maiden,  at  her  brother's 
bidding,  granted  the  hero  whom  they 
wished  to  honour  the  sweet  greeting  of 
her  lips,  King  Ludegast  broke  into  the 
bitter  words  : 

"  To  win  the  noble  Siegfried  so  high  a 
favour,  many  a  brave  man  had  to  take 
death  or  wounds  at  his  hands.  The  Lord 
keep  him  from  ever  again  coming  near 
the  Danish  lands  !  " 

But  now  the  ushers  called  out  to  make 
way  for  the  Princess,  that  she  might 
proceed  to  the  minster,  to  hear  high 


28  Siegfried  * 

mass,  and  Siegfried  fell  back  among  the 
other  guests,  who  followed  in  stately  pro- 
cession. 

But  after  mass  he  was  again  bidden  to 
attend  the  Princess  ;  and  now  they  found 
the  courage  to  have  some  talk  together. 
Kriemhilde  began  : 

"  The  Lord  repay  you,  Sir  Knight,  for 
your  generous  service,  for  which  my 
brothers  and  our  friends  will  be  faithfully 
beholden  to  you  unto  death." 

Siegfried  looked  in  the  beautiful  face  as 
he  replied  : 

"  Ever  will  I  serve  them,  nor  lay  my  head 
down  to  rest  unless  they  bid  me,  now  and 
as  long  as  I  live.  This  will  I  do,  Lady 
Kriemhilde,  for  the  love  of  you." 

Through  all  the  twelve  days  of  the  great 
festival  Siegfried  was  the  royal  maiden's 
chosen  squire  :  by  her  side  at  the  banquet, 
her  partner  in  the  dance,  her  knight  in  the 
games. 

Meanwhile  the  two  kings,  Ludegast 
and  Ludeger,  being  now  well  of  their 
wounds,  prayed  King  Gunther  to  name 
their  ransom  and  the  conditions  of  an  hon- 


Friendship  29 

curable  peace,  so  they  might  ride  home  and 
be  free.  It  had  now  grown  into  a  fixed 
habit  with  the  Burgundian  to  take  his 
guest's  advice  on  every  matter  of  any  im- 
portance, so  he  sought  out  Siegfried  and 
forthwith  laid  the  case  before  him. 

"  Our  guests,"  he  said,  "would  fain  de- 
part to-morrow,  and  would  know  on  what 
terms  we  are  willing  to  let  them  go,  and 
let  peace  be  between  our  countries.  So 
now,  friend,  advise  me  what  to  do.  What 
they  offer  I  will  tell  thee  :  gold,  as  much 
as  five  hundred  mares  can  carry.  This 
they  deem  a  ransom  fair  and  meet." 

But  Siegfried  shook  his  head. 

"  Not  so.  Let  the  noble  brothers  de- 
part in  peace,  so  they  pledge  themselves 
not  again  to  bear  arms  against  thy  land, 
and  give  thee  their  hand  on  it." 

"  So  let  it  be,"  spoke  the  King,  and 
parted  in  brotherly  friendship  from  those 
who  but  so  lately  were  his  sworn  foes. 

Then  once  again  Siegfried  spoke  of 
taking  his  leave,  for  he  was  a  timid  wooer 
and  dared  not  speak  the  desire  of  his 
,  heart,  lest  it  should  be  refused  him.  The 


30  Siegfried 

King  was  grieved  ;  but  young  Giselher 
well  knew  how  to  win  him  to  stay. 

"  Whither,"  he  pleaded,  "  whither,  noble 
Siegfried,  would  you  ride  away  ?  Hear 
my  prayer  :  stay  here  with  King  Gunther 
and  our  friends.  Here  are  many  fair  la- 
dies, and  they  will  make  you  welcome,  be 
assured." 

And  once  again  the  doughty  Siegfried 
spoke : 

"  Then  let  the  horses  stand  in  their 
comfortable  stalls,  and  put  away  the 
shields.  I  did  mean  to  ride  home,  but 
young  Giselher's  loving-kindness  holds 
me,  a  willing  bondsman." 

So  the  hero  stayed,  to  please  his  friend. 
And  things  were  so  ordered  that  scarce  a 
day  went  by  without  his  seeing  the  Lady 
Kriemhilde  and  having  speech  of  her. 


IV 

BOUND  FOR  ICELAND 

SOON  after  these  things  had  happened 
by  the  Rhine,  it  began  to  be  rumoured 
that  King  Guntherwas  thinking  of  taking 
to  himself  a  wife ;  wherefore  there  was  great 
joy  in  Burgundy.  But  his  mind  did  not 
incline  to  any  of  the  daughters  of  the 
land. 

There  lived  a  maiden  queen  on  an  is- 
land beyond  the  sea  ;  so  beautiful,  yet  so 
strange  in  her  ways,  there  was  no  other 
like  her  in  the  whole  wide  world.  She 
was  stronger  than  most  men  and  better 
skilled  than  most  in  warlike  exercises. 
Few  could  have  matched  her  in  throwing 
the  spear.  But  her  favourite  feat,  wherein 
she  had  no  equal,  was  this :  she  would 
hurl  a  heavy  stone  disk  to  a  great  distance 
31 


32  Siegfried 

arid  give  at  the  same  time  such  a  mighty 
leap  that  she  would  land  on  her  feet  by 
the  very  spot  whereon  the  disk  had  just 
fallen.  She  had  published  far  and  wide 
that  she  would  wed  no  man  but  one  who 
should  win  three  athletic  games  against 
her.  Any  man  was  welcome  to  try,  but 
if  he  lost,  the  forfeit  was  his  head.  Many 
a  noble  suitor  had  gone  to  Iceland  to  woo 
Queen  Brunhilde,  and  had  never  been 
seen  again.  And  the  Queen  was  still 
unwedded. 

One  day  King  Gunther  sat  taking  his 
ease  among  his  friends.  Somehow  they 
came  to  talk  about  his  marrying,  and  each 
had  some  noble  maiden  or  other  to  pro-^ 
pose.  The  King  listened  for  some  time 
in  silence,  then  suddenly  declared  : 

"  I  will  sail  across  the  sea  and  woo 
Queen  Brunhilde.  I  will  chance  my  life 
on  the  venture,  for  I  care  not  to  live  un- 
less I  win  her  for  my  wife." 

"  That  I  would  not  advise,"  Siegfried 
broke  in  ;  "  the  Queen  is  fierce  of  tem- 
per ;  the  cost  is  too  high.  Cast  out  all 
thought  of  her,  I  pray." 


Bound  for  Iceland  33 

"  The  woman  is  not  born,"  Gimther 
retorted,  "  let  her  be  ever  so  strong  and 
bold,  whom  I  cannot  master  easily,  single- 
handed." 

"  Speak  not  of  what  you  know  nothing 
about,"  Siegfried  warned  again.  "  Four 
such  as  you  could  not  stand  against  her 
anger.  Wherefore,  out  of  my  love,  I 
pray  you,  attempt  not  so  mad  a  thing ; 
let  Brunhilde  alone." 

'"  Be  she  never  so  fierce  and  strong," 
spoke  Gunther,  now  thoroughly  aroused, 
"  I  go.  To  win  so  rare  a  creature,  some- 
thing may  well  be  risked.  Who  can  say 
but  I  may  win,  and  she  may  follow  us  to 
the  Rhine?" 

"Then  let  me  advise,"  began  Hagen, 
who  had  not  spoken  yet,  "  that  you  beg 
Siegfried  to  share  the  venture  with  you. 
It  is  the  wisest  thing  you  can  do,  since  he 
alone  knows  so  much  about  Brunhilde." 

The  King  at  once  turned  to  his  guest : 

"  Most  noble  Siegfried,  wilt  thou  help 
me  woo  and  win  the  lady  ?  Do  so,  and  I 
will  be  beholden  to  thee  forever,  with  love 
and  life  and  honour." 


34  Siegfried 

Then  answered  Siegfried,  King  Sieg- 
mund's  son  : 

"  I  will,  so  thou  promises!  me  thy  sister 
as  my  guerdon,  Kriemhilde,  the  fair  royal 
maiden.  No  other  meed  do  I  desire,  no 
other  will  I  take." 

"  I  promise,"  spoke  Gunther  joyfully, 
"  and  here  is  my  hand  on  it." 

The  friends  joined  hands  and  swore  to 
stand  by  each  other.  Then  they  at  once 
began  to  consult  about  the  best  way  to 
carry  out  the  undertaking.  Gunther  pro- 
posed to  take  over  an  army  of  thirty 
thousand  men.  But  Siegfried  would  not 
hear  of  it. 

"  Let  us,"  he  said,  "  do  this  thing  after 
the  fashion  of  true  knight-errantry.  We 
will  go,  just  the  two  of  us,  and  two  more 
— Hagen,  I  should  say,  and  his  brother 
Dankwart,  brave  men  both, — and  I  will 
dare  any  thousand  men  to  stand  in  our 
way." 

King  Gunther  was  greatly  taken  with 
the  idea.  And  now  they  began  forthwith 
to  consider  the  question  of  clothes,  most 
important  for  heroes  bound  on  such  an 


Bound  for  Iceland  35 

errand.  Gunther  was  for  asking  his  lady 
mother  to  prqvide  them  with  a  proper 
wardrobe,  in  which  they  might  appear 
with  dignity  and  to  advantage  before 
Brunhilde  and  her  ladies.  But  sly  Hagen 
advised  him  to  ask  his  sister  instead ;  she 
would  know  better  what  would  be  becom- 
ing and  after  the  latest  fashion  ;  the  young 
understand  one  another  best  on  such  an 
occasion. 

So  Gunther  and  Siegfried  sought  Kriem- 
hilde  in  her  apartments;' and  the  three  had 
a  long  consultation,  which  ended  in  her 
promising  to  have  ready  twelve  suits  for 
each  of  the  four  companions, — to  be  worn 
during  four  days,  three  for  each  day, — 
such  as  they  need  not  be  ashamed  to  be 
seen  in  at  Brunhilde's  or  any  other  queen's 
court,  provided  she  was  supplied  with 
enough  gold,  silver,  seed  pearls,  and 
precious  stones  ;  of  stuffs  and  embroidery 
silks  she  had  sufficient  store. 

As  soon  as  the  two  friends  had  taken 
their  leave,  Kriemhilde  called  to  her  thirty 
young  maids,  her  companions,  all  skilled 
in  finest  needlework.  They  took  silk 


36  Siegfried 

stuff  of  Arabia,  white  as  snow,  and  velvet 
green  as  clover,  and  embroidered  them 
lavishly  with  gold  and  many-coloured 
stones.  Kriemhilde  cut  the  garments  with 
her  own  hand.  They  also  took  skins  of 
rarest  fishes  and  made  pouches  thereof, 
working  them  with  silks,  to  carry  gold  in  ; 
the  effect  against  the  light-coloured  gar- 
ments was  most  striking.  There  was  no 
stint  of  silk  stuffs  from  Morocco,  and 
from  Libya  too,  such  as  only  royal  youths 
were  wont  to  wear ;  neither  did  Kriemhilde 
spare  her  own  store  of  ermine  pelts,  to 
provide  the  knights  with  rich  and  stately 
mantles.  In  seven  weeks'  time  the  work 
was  done  and  a  messenger  sent  to  bid  the 
knights,  who,  in  the  meantime,  had  been 
busy  building  and  equipping  their  ship, 
come  and  survey  their  new  wardrobe  and 
try  the  garments  on,  for  any  alterations 
that  might  be  needed.  But  nothing  more 
perfect  in  fit  and  workmanship  had  ever 
been  seen,  so  everybody  declared ;  and 
when  the  heroes,  after  giving  the  noble 
maids  due  thanks  in  courtly  words,  began  to 
say  farewell,  many  a  tear-dimmed  eye  was 


Bound  for  Iceland  37 

bent  on  them  where  they  stood,  so  hand- 
some and  so  brave.  And  suddenly  Kriem- 
hilde  threw  her  arms  around  her  brother's 
necl^. 

"  Oh,  dearest  brother  mine,"  she  said 
with  breaking  voice,  "go  not  from  me, 
from  thy  land  and  thy  friends  !  There  be 
women  enough  nearer  home,  and  nobly 
born,  to  be  wooed  and  won  without  vent- 
uring life  and  limb." 

•  Her  tears  fell  fast,  and  dimmed  the 
gold  chain  on  her  breast,  for  something 
in  her  boding  heart  told  her  darkly  of  the 
evil  that  was  to  come  to  them  all  from 
this  fateful  wooing.  But  quickly  control- 
ling herself,  she  turned  to  the  royal  guest 
from  the  Netherlands : 

"  Noble  Siegfried,  to  your  true  and 
loyal  care  do  I  commend  my  dearest 
brother :  keep  him  from  harm  in  Brun- 
hilde's  land,!" 

The  hero  held  out  his  hand  : 

"  So  long  as  breath  is  in  me,  you  may, 
noble  lady,  rest  free  from  care.  I  will 
bring  him  back  to  you  unharmed,  here, 
to  the  Rhine.  My  life  on  it." 


38  Siegfried 

Eleven  days  and  nights  the  royal  suitor 
and  his  three  friends  were  carried  smoothly 
before  the  wind,  towards  Iceland's  shores. 
On  the  twelfth  morning  they  beheld  the 
green  and  prosperous  isle,  studded  with 
strong  castles,  among  which  towered  one, 
grander  and  more  splendid  than  the  rest, 
beetling  almost  over  the  water's  edge. 

"  This,"  spoke  Siegfried,  to  whom  alone 
the  land  was  known,  "  this  is  Isenstein, 
Queen  Brunhilde's  own  residence  and 
stronghold.  Keep  your  wits  together,  so 
you  are  not  dazzled  with  the  bevy  of  fair 
women  whom  you  will  see  assembled 
there.  And  hark  :  one  word  of  advice  be- 
fore we  land.  When  we  are  asked  our 
names  and  errand,  we  will  all  hold  to  the 
one  tale  :  that  Gunther  is  my  liege  lord, 
and  I  am  his  vassal.  It  is  best  so.  All 
this  mislikes  me, sore,"  he  added,  when 
they  had  promised  to  do  as  he  bade  them  ; 
"nor  would  I  embark  on  it,  Gunther, 
merely  for  love  of  thee.  But  thy  sister, 
the  lovely  maid,  is  as  my  life  to  me,  my 
very  soul,  and  I  would  fain  win  her  for 
my  wife." 


GUNTHER'S  WOOING 

AN  WHILE  the  ship  was  nearing 
the  strand.  It  passed  so  close  un- 
der the  castle  that  the  friends  could  see 
the  beautiful  ladies  who  were  crowding  the 
windows  and  peering  curiously  at  the  new- 
comers. Siegfried  pointed  them  out  to 
the  King. 

"Take  a  look  at  them,"  he  said,  "and 
tell  me  which  would  be  your  choice  at  the 
first  glance." 

"  I  see  one  at  yonder  casement,"  Gun- 
ther  replied  quickly,  "  in  snowy  gown ; 
she  is  so  stately  and  graceful :  she  would 
be  my  choice  if  my  eyes  were  the  only 
umpires." 

Said  Siegfried  : 

44  Your  eyes  have  not  misled  you  ;  yon 

39 


40  Siegfried 

beauteous  maiden  is  indeed  Queen  Brun- 
hilde." 

While  they  were  conversing,  the  Queen 
bade  the  maidens  retire  from  the  win- 
dows ;  she  deemed  it  unseemly  for  ladies 
to  take  note  of  the  doings  of  strange  men. 
But  they  had  had  time  to  see  how  the 
four  stepped  ashore,  how  Siegfried  led 
forth  from  the  ship  a  handsome  charger, 
and  held  the  bridle  while  Gunther  mount- 
ed ;  not  often  before  had  the  noble  youth 
done  such  squire's  service  to  living  man. 
He  soon  forgot  it ;  but  Brunhilde  never. 

Siegfried  and  Gunther  were  both  clad*  • 
in  spotless  white  ;  their  shields  silver,  and 
milk-white  their  steeds,  as  like  as  though 
they  had  been  tw^ins.  Hagen  and  Dank- 
wart,  on  the  contrary,  were  clothed  in 
sable  from  head  to  foot,  and  mounted  on 
chargers  black  as  night. 

They  found  the  gates  of  the  great  cas- 
tle, with-  its  eighty-six  towers,  wide  open. 
Brunhilde's  men  hastened  to  meet  the 
guests  as  they  rode  into  the  castle  yard, 
to  take  their  horses  and  their  shields. 
They  were  also  requested  to  yield  up  their 


Gunther's  Wooing  41 

swords  and  cuirasses.  Hagen  at  first  an- 
grily refused,  but  Siegfried  explained  that 
such  was  the  law  of  the  land,  and  that  no 
guest  might  enter  the  presence  of  the 
Queen  except  unarmed. 

When  the  knights  had  taken  due  rest 
and  refreshment,  they  were  ushered  into 
the  great  reception-hall,  the  walls  of  which 
were  cased  with  priceless  green  marble, 
and  soon  Brunhilde  entered,  attended  by 
one  hundred  maidens  in  gay  and  rich  ap- 
parel, and  by  five  hundred  of  Iceland's 
bravest  warriors,  sword  in  hand.  The 
sight  was  not  pleasing  to  the  four. 

As  Siegfried  was  the  only  one  known 
to  Brunhilde,  she  addressed  her  welcome 
to  him,  and  of  him  inquired  the  object  of 
their  voyage. 

"  I  thank  you  humbly,  Lady  Brun- 
hilde," he  replied,  "  that  you  deign  to 
greet  me  before  this  noble  knight ;  the 
honour,  in  truth,  belongs  to  him,  for  he 
is  my  liege  lord.  His  name  is  Gunther, 
King  of  Burgundy  by  the  Rhine.  For 
love  of  you  he  has  made  the  long  voyage, 
for  he  "desires  to  wed  with  you.  I  came 


42  Siegfried 

because  I  am  his  vassal,  and  he  bade  me. 
Else  most  certainly  had  I  stayed  away." 

"  If  such  be  his  desire,"  the  Queen  re- 
plied, "  he  must  play  against  me  the  games 
which  I  shall  propose.  If  he  wins  the 
match,  I  will  be  his  wife.  If  he  loses,  the 
forfeit  is  his  life  and  that  of  all  his  com- 
panions. And  with  your  lives  you  lose 
your  knightly  honour  as  well.  Therefore 
pause  and  reflect  betimes." 

Siegfried  quickly  went  up  to  Gunther 
and  whispered  in  his  ear : 

"  Speak  to  the  Queen  freely  and  fear- 
lessly, and  let  nothing  trouble  you  :  I 
will  guard  you  and  help  you  out  with 
certain  wiles  known  to  me." 

Thus  encouraged,  Gunther  answered, 
nothing  daunted  : 

"  Most  noble  Queen,  I  accept  the  chal- 
lenge and  the  conditions.  Life  is  worth- 
less to  me  if  I  cannot  win  thee  for  my 
wife." 

Forthwith  the  Queen  retired  to  arm 
her  for  the  game.  Hagen  and  Dankwart 
stood  apart  the  while,  silent  and  sullen. 
The  thought  of  both  was,  "  In  an  evil 


Gunther's  Wooing  43 

hour  we  embarked  on  this  quest " ;  but 
they  would  not  utter  it. 

Siegfried  meanwhile  quietly  slipped 
away  and  hurried  to  the  ship,  where  he 
had  left  the  tarn-cape — that  wonderful 
cloak  which  not  only  makes  the  wearer 
invisible,  but  increases  his  natural  strength 
twelvefold.  When  he  returned  to  the 
hall,  he  could  mix  with  the  crowd  and 
observe  all  that  was  done  and  said,  him- 
self unseen.  A  vast  circle  had  been 
drawn,  and  around  it  pressed  over  seven 
hundred  warriors,  in  full  armour. 

When  Brunhilde  re-entered  the  hall, 
she  looked  as  though  she  were  going  to 
fight  for  the  lands  of  all  the  kings  on  earth. 
Over  her  silken  tunic  she  wore  mail  ar- 
mour of  finest  golden  wire:  The  shield 
that  was  brought  her  was  of  polished  gold, 
but  under  the  gold  there  was  hard  steel 
of  great  thickness.  Four  men  carried  it 
with  effort,  but  she  slung  it  with  ease  over 
her  shoulder  by  a  broad  baldrick,  richly 
worked  in  emeralds.  Then  three  attend- 
ants brought  her  the  spear  which  she  was 
wont  to  throw,  a  most  grim  and  grewsome 


44  Siegfried 

weapon,  with  its  .double-edged  head,  to 
the  making  of  which  had  gone  a  hundred 
pounds  of  iron. 

As  Gunther  looked,  his  brow  grew 
darker  and  darker.  "What  is  all  this?" 
he  thought.  "  The  Devil  himself  could  not 
stand  against  her.  Were  I  but  safe  and 
sound  at  home  by  the  Rhine,  long  might 
she  live  and  prosper,  unwooed  of  me." 

Hagen  and  his  brother  Dankwart  whis- 
pered together  in  helpless  rage.  "Had 
we  but  our  swords,"  they  said,  "  the  beauti- 
ful fiend  should  die  before  harm  came  to 
our  dear  lord,  though  we  had  sworn  a 
hundred  oaths  to  keep  the  peace." 

Brunhilde  heard  them,  and  looked  at 
them  smilingly  over  her  shoulder. 

"  Since  they  think  themselves  so 
mighty,"  she  said  to  her  attendants,— 
"bring  them  their  armour,  and  give  them 
back  their  swords.  I  do  not  care  whether 
they  are  in  full  armour  or  bare  to  the  skin. 
I  never  yet  met  the  man  whose  strength  I 
need  dread.  I  do  not  think  King  Gunther 
will  be  the  first." 

Last  of  all  the  disk  was  brought  in.     It 


Gunther' s  Wooing  45 

was  so  large  and  heavy  that  twelve  men 
could  hardly  carry  it.  Yet  they  were 
valiant  men  and  strong  in  battle.  Then 
a  great  fear  came  over  the  Burgundians  : 
"  What  manner  of  woman  is  this  our  King 
would  woo  ? "  Hagen  spoke  out  loud. 
"  Would  she  were  down  below,  the  Devil's 
own  bride  ! " 

And  now  she  rolled  her  sleeves  up  her 
snowy  arms,  took  her  stand,  holding  the 
shield  with  her  left,  and  with  her  right 
swung  high  the  spear  :  that  was  the  signal 
to  begin.  Gunther  shuddered  at  the 
sight.  But  suddenly  he  felt  a  hand  touch 
his  own,  and  Siegfried's  voice  spoke  low  in 
his  ear : 

"It  is  I,  thy  comrade.  Have  no  fear 
whatever.  Let  go  the  shield,  I  will  hold 
it.  And  keep  in  mind  what  I  now  say : 
make  thou  the  motions  ;  I  will  do  the 
work.  But  never  let  the  Queen  know  of 
these  my  wiles,  or  she  will  surely  be  re- 
venged on  thee." 

Never  had  Gunther  heard  more  welcome 
words.  Just  at  this  moment  Brunhilde 
hurled  the  spear  with  such  force  and  such 


46  Siegfried 

perfect  aim  that  it  pierced  through  the 
centre  of  the  shield  which  Siegfried  held 
before  the  King,  striking  sparks, frorji  the 
steel,  and  both  men  were  thrown  off  their 
feet  by  the  shock  and  the  weight.  But 
— >  >  .-  for  the  taTn-cape"f hey  had  both  been  surely 
killed. 

Siegfried  pulled  the  spear  out  of  the 
shield,  and  thinking,  "  I  will  not  slay  the 
v-  maiden  ;  it  were  a  pity,  she  is  so  fair," 
turned  it  and  hurled  the  shaft  end  against 
her  armour,  bringing  her  to  the  ground. 
She  sprang  to  her  feet  in  an  instant  and 
cried  :  "  I  thank  thee,  noble  Gunther,  for 
thy  courtesy  ! "  She  gave  him  all  the 
credit,  little  dreaming  that  she  had  been 
thrown  by  one  far  mightier  than  he. 

She  was  on  her  mettle  now,  and  as  she 
took  up  the  heavy  disk,  put  forth  all  her 
strength.  Never  had  she  thrown  it  so 
far,  or  leaped  so  lightly,  her  golden  armour 
clanging  as  she  landed  on  her  feet.  The 
disk  had  fallen  fully  twenty  fathoms  away, 
and  she  had  leaped  beyond  that  mark. 
Gunther,  with  unseen  Siegfried  by  his 
side,  ran  to  where  lay  the  monster  stone. 


Gunther's  Wooing  47 

He  went  through  all  the  motions  of 
weighing,  balancing,  and  throwing  it,  while 
Siegfried  performed  the  act.  Both  throw 
and  leap  left  Brunhilde's  mark  far  behind 
— a  great  wonder,  when  one  thinks  that, 
in  leaping,  he  carried  Gunther  along.  As 
they  stood  by  the  disk  Gunther  alone  was 
seen. 

Brunhilde's  lovely  face  flushed  dark 
with  anger,  for  Siegfried  had  saved  the 
King  from  death.  When  she  saw  him 
standing  safe  and  sound  at  the  very  end 
of  the  circle,  she  turned  to  the  crowd  and 
spoke : 

"  Ye  all,  my  friends  and  liegemen,  step 
near :  from  henceforth  ye  are  King  Gun- 
ther's subjects." 

Then  all  laid  down  their  swords  and 
did  homage  at  the  feet  of  Gunther,  the 
wealthy  King  of  Burgundy.  With  courtly 
grace  he  greeted  them  as  he  took  their 
Queen's  right  hand. 

Suddenly  Siegfried  appeared  with  most 
unconscious  mien,  and,  walking  up  to  the 
King,  asked  him  why  he  tarried  so  long 
with  the  games,  as  it  were  well  the  mat- 


48  Siegfried 

ter  were  decided.  He  acted  ignorance  to 
perfection. 

"  What ! "  cried  the  Queen,  "  is  it  possi- 
ble, Lord  Siegfried,  you  did  not  see  the 
games  which  King  Gunther  won  ?  Where 
could  you  have  been  ?  " 

Hagen,  as  usual,  was  ready  with  an  an- 
swer: 

"  Our  noble  Siegfried  had  gone  to  look 
after  the  ship ;  that  is  why  he  saw  nothing 
of  the  games — to  his  loss  and  our  grief." 

"  This  is  joyful  news  indeed,  fair  lady," 
cried  blunt-spoken  Siegfried,  "  that  there 
is  an  end  of  your  overbearing  ways,  and 
that  one  is  found  fit  to  be  your  mate  and 
master.  And  now,  noble  Queen,  you  will 
follow  us  to  the  Rhine." 

He  had  better  have  left  such  words  un- 
spoken. Brunhilde  was  not  one  to  forget 
them,  though  now  she  answered  mildly 
enough  : 

"  That  may  not  be  yet  a  while.  I  can- 
not leave  my  kingdom  on  such  short  no- 
tice. My  kinsmen  and  vassals  must  be 
sent  for  first." 

Messengers  were  sent  out,  and  in  a  few 


Gunther's  Wooing  49 

days  troops  of  warriors,  both  knights  and 
squires,  well  armed,  well  mounted,  began 
to  arrive.  This  made  the  friends  some- 
what uncomfortable,  and  Hagen,  who  was 
prudent  and  given  to  see  the  dark  side  of 
things,  gave  voice  to  the  feeling : 

"  Woe  is  us,  what  have  we  done  ?  Who 
can  tell  what  the  Queen  is  scheming? 
What  if  she  be  wroth  with  us  ?  " 

But  Siegfried  was  undaunted. 

"  Be  not  troubled  for  so  little,"  he  said  ; 
"  I  will  go  and  bring  you  help, — a  thou- 
sand choice  men.  Ask  me  not  who  they 
are  or  whence  they  come  ;  and  when  I  am 
gone,  make  no  sign.  I  shall  be  back  be- 
fore I  am  missed." 

There  was  much  comfort  in  these  words. 
"  Only,"  spoke  the  King,  "  stay  not  away 
too  long.  We  may  need  help." 

"In  a  very  few  days  ye  shall  see  me 
again,"  Siegfried  assured  him.  "  If  the 
Queen  asks  for  me,  say  you  sent  me  on 
an  errand." 


VI 

THE  DEPARTURE 

'"THOSE  who  happened  to  look  out  on 
*  the  sea  the  next  morning,  at  dawn, 
beheld  a  sight  which  made  them  rub  their 
eyes  in  wonder  and  doubt :  they  saw  a 
ship,  with  all  sails  set,  rapidly  driving  be- 
fore the  wind,  from  the  harbour  into  the 
open  sea,  without  a  sailor  on  deck  or  a 
pilot  at  the  rudder.  It  was  the  ship  of 
the  Burgundians,  and  Siegfried,  made  in- 
visible by  his  tarn-cape,  was  steering  it. 
One  day  and  night  of  fair  weather  and 
favourable  wind  brought  him  to  the  land 
of  the  Nibelungs,  where  the  great  treasure 
lay  hidden  and  well  guarded. 

As  he  made  fast  the  ship  in  a  sheltered 

cove,  it  occurred  to  him  to  test  the  loyalty 

of  his  men.     He  walked  to  the  castle  gate 

and,  with  his  features  concealed  by  the 

50 


The  Departure  51 

visor  of  his  helmet,  disguising  his  voice, 
asked  for  admission  as  any  wayfarer 
might.  The  warder,  seeing  a  knight  of 
tremendous  size,  in  full  armour,  refused, 
and  fought  with  all  his  might  when  the 
stranger  broke  open  the  gate.  Sooth  to 
say,  Siegfried  had  to  put  forth  his  great 
strength  to  throw  the  man  and  bind  him. 
This  was  good  service,  and  he  vowed  in 
his  heart  he  would  not  forget  it. 

The  noise  of  the  fighting  had  been 
heard  in  the  mountains  by  the  dwarfs 
who  guarded  the  hoard,  and  Alberich,  the 
keeper,  hastily  donning  armour,  came 
running  to  the  castle,  where  he  attacked 
Siegfried  with  the  only  weapon  he  could 
use  with  any  effect,  on  account  of  his  size  : 
a  heavy  whip  with  golden  handle  and 
seven  lashes  ending  in  hard  knobs.  With 
this  he  belaboured  the  stranger  till  his 
shield  was  all  out  of  shape.  Siegfried 
would  not  hurt  the  faithful  dwarf,  so  he 
just  pulled  his  beard  and  bound  him  as  he 
had  bound  the  giant  warder,  then  stopped 
to  recover  his  breath  and  rest  his  badly 
bruised  limbs. 


52  Siegfried 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  gasped  the  dwarf. 
'  Had  I  not  pledged  my  service  to  the 
greatest  hero  in  the  world,  I  would  will- 
ingly serve  you  till  I  die." 

Siegfried  uncovered  his  face. 

"  I  am  Siegfried.  Methinks  you  might 
have  known  me.  And  now,"  he  said  as 
he  untied  the  dwarf,  "  run  to  the  mount- 
ains and  bring  me  here  in  shortest  time 
one  thousand  Nibelung  warriors,  the  pick 
of  the  host." 

Three  thousand  came.  But  Siegfried 
would  have  no  more  than  one  thousand, 
and  these  he  equipped  most  gorgeously, 
filling  their  pouches  with  gold  and  silver. 
Nor  did  it  take  long  to  provide  ships  and 
all  necessary  supplies.  Was  not  the  treas- 
ure there  which  never  grew  less,  no  mat- 
ter how  much  was  taken  from  it  ? 

Great  was  the  wonder  in  Iceland  when 
a  large  fleet,  with  swelling,  snowy  sails,  was 
seen  to  glide  along  the  sunlit  waters,  mak- 
ing for  the  harbour. 

"  That  is  my  military7  escort,"  King 
Gunther  explained  to  Brunhilde  ;  "  I  left 
it  not  far  from  here,  and  now  have  sent 


The  Departure  53 

for  it.  See  Siegfried  standing  on  the 
prow  of  the  foremost  ship.  I  wish  you  to 
go  down  to  meet  them  in  the  castle  yard 
and  give  them  courteous  greeting,  so  they 
may  know  you  are  glad  to  see  them." 

And  now  the  Burgundians  began  to 
hurry  Brunhilde,  for  they  did  not  feel  at 
ease  in  her  country  and  were  anxious  to 
get  home.  They  hardly  left  her  time  to 
set  matters  in  order  and  dispose  of  her 
treasure,  her  rich  wardrobe,  and  great  store 
of  precious  things.  She  gave  away  much  ; 
the  rest — mostly  silks,  gold,  and  jewelry — 
was  packed  in  twenty  large  chests  and 
stowed  on  board  the  royal  ship.  Her  Isle 
of  Iceland  she  placed  under  the  rule  and 
care  of  her  own  uncle,  until  such  time  as 
the  new  lord,  her  husband,  should  send  a 
governor  of  his  own  choice.  For  her 
escort,  to  match  the  thousand  Nibelung 
warriors,  she  selected  two  thousand  men 
of  the  best.  She  also  took  along  eighty- 
six  ladies  and  a  hundred  maidens,  all  young 
and  fair,  that  she  might  have  a  court  and 
attendance  of  her  own  in  the  strange  new 
land. 


54  Siegfried 

Many  tears  were  shed,  by  those  who  left 
and  those  who  stayed,  there  on  Iceland's 
rocky  strand,  when  the  hour  of  parting 
came.  Full  lovingly  the  royal  maid  bade 
farewell  to  her  people  and  her  country. 
She  was  to  see  both  nevermore. 


VII 

BETROTHED 

THE  voyage  was  prosperous  and  gay, 
with  smooth  waters  and  gentle,  fa- 
vourable breezes,  and  there  was  music  and 
singing  on  the  ships.  But  on  the  ninth 
day  Hagen  sought  Gunther  and  reminded 
him  that  it  was  high  time  to  send  off  a 
messenger  to  Worms  with  the  joyful 
tidings. 

"  Right,  friend  Hagen,"  assented  the 
King ;  "  and  no  messenger  could  be 
more  welcome  than  yourself.  Therefore 
hasten  home  at  once^nd  tell  them  we  are 
coming." 

But  that  did  not  suit  Hagen's  plans. 

"  Not  so,  my  dear  lord,"  he  replied  ; 
"  I  should  make  but  a  poor  messenger  ; 
that  is  not  my  line.  Let  me  be  treasurer 

55 


56  Siegfried 

and  chamberlain.  I  will  remain  with  the 
ships  and  look  after  the  women's  safety 
and  comfort.  Send  Siegfried  instead. 
And  should  he  refuse,  then  beg  him  for 
love  of  your  sister  to  do  you  this  one 
more  service.  He  will  not  say  nay  to 
that." 

It  all  happened  as  the  crafty  Burgun- 
dian  had  foreseen.  Siegfried  did  not  like 
the  idea  of  being  sent  on  errands  like  a 
mere  retainer  ;  but  the  name  of  Kriem- 
hilde,  the  hope  of  iseeing  her  several  days 
sooner,  and  the  thought  of  the  pleasure 
liis  news  would  bring  her  and  of  the  bright 
looks  she  would  give  him  for  his  pains, 
overcame  his  pride,  and  he  said  "  yes  "  to 
all.  Then  Gunther  proceeded  to  give  him 
most  detailed  instructions  : 

"  Tell  my  mother,  Queen  Ute,  that  I 
am  happy  beyond  words.  To  my  brothers 
and  all  our  friends  say  how  we  have  pros- 
pered in  this  wooing.  Bid  Ortewein,  my 
loving  cousin,  see  that  a  great  stand  is 
built  by  the  landing-place  on  the  Rhine, 
for  our  friends  and  liegemen  ;  he  must 
send  them  word  betimes.  And  tell  Kriem- 


Betrothed  57 

hilde  I  trust  she  will,  of  her  sisterly  kind- 
ness, receive  my  dear  bride  with  all  love 
and  courtesy,  for  which  I  shall  be  beholden 
to  her  all  the  days  of  my  life." 

There  was  great  wailing  in  Worms  when 
Siegfried  was  seen  to  enter  the  city  with 
four-and-twenty  knights  and  nothing  was 
seen  of  Gunther.  As  they  dismounted  in 
the  castle  yard,  the  King's  brothers  rushed 
to  meet  them,  and  when  Siegfried  had  laid 
their  fears  at  rest  with  his  good  news,  they 
at  once  escorted  him  to  the  Queen's  apart- 
ments, where  he  was  eagerly  admitted. 
Kriemhilde  scarcely  took  the  time  to  greet 
him. 

"  Welcome,"  she  said,  "  Lord  Siegfried, 
peerless  knight.  But  tell  us,  where  is 
King  Gunther,  my  noble  brother?  How 
is  it  with  him  ?  I  fear  me  much  Brun- 
hilde's  strength  overpowered  him,  and 
now  he  is  lost  to  us.  Oh,  woe  is  me,  poor 
maid  !  why  was  I  ever  born  ! " 

Spoke  Siegfried  with  smiling  face  : 

"  Fair  ladies  both,  ye  weep  for  no  rea- 
son that  I  know.  With  one  word  I  will 
make  you  glad :  he  is  safe  of  limb  and 


58  Siegfried 

happy  in  mind,  and  I  am  here  to  tell  you, 
with  his  most  duteous  love,  that  he  and 
his  bride  are  within  a  short  distance  of 
this  city.  He  commends  her  to  your 
kindness  and  hopes  you  will  both  meet 
them  at  the  landing,  whither  all  his  friends 
are  bidden." 

Queen  Ute  heard  the  tidings  with  com- 
posed and  dignified  mien  and  gave  thanks 
for  them  in  gracious  but  measured  words. 
But  the  maiden  was  too  young  to  have 
her  feelings  under  such  control ;  the  sud- 
den passage  from  sorrow  and  fear  to  great 
joy  unmanned  her,  and  she  found  no  words 
at  first,  but  dried  her  streaming  eyes  with 
her  snow-white  robe.  At  last  she  bade 
the  hero  sit. 

"  I  would  not  grudge  all  my  gold  in 
payment  for  this  news,"  she  said.  "  But 
you  are  too  high-born  for  that.  So  I  must 
e'en  be  content  to  pay  you  with  poor 
thanks." 

"  Were  thirty  crowns  mine,"  he  cried, 
"  I  would  take  a  gift  from  your  hand." 

Castle  and  city  now  vied  in  busy  pre- 
paration. Both  were  thronged  with  guests 


Betrothed  59 

from  as  far  as  they  could  come  on  such 
short  notice.  Kriemhilde  bade  her  maids 
take  out  of  chests  and  closets  their  very 
richest  attire.  Ermine  and  sable  were 
as  plentiful  as  silks  and  velvets  ;  shapely 
waists  and  arms  were  encircled  with  girdles 
and  bracelets  of  gold  and  rarest  gems. 
Such,  too,  were  the  trappings  of  the  wo- 
men's palfreys.  And  those  who  saw  Kriem- 
hilde of  Burgundy  ride  forth  that  day  from 
the  castle,  down  to  the  Rhine,  with  her 
following  of  nigh  on  two  hundred  ladies 
and  maidens,  the  fairest  and  stateliest  of 
the  land,  beheld  a  sight  which  none  for- 
got to  their  dying  day.  Siegfried  was 
allowed  the  privilege  of  riding  at  her 
bridle-rein,  to  do  her  knightly  service, 
while  Ortewein,  the  Marshal  of  the  Court, 
had  charge  of  the  Queen-mother,  Ute. 

Many  a  lance  was  broken  in  play  while 
waiting  for  the  ships.  Then  when  they 
approached  the  landing,  and  the  warriors 
from  Iceland  and  Siegfried's  Nibelungs 
had  landed  and  formed  in  line  on  the 
shore,  there  was  sky-rending  shouting  and 
much  clanking  of  shields  as  King  Gunther 


60  Siegfried 

stepped  on  his  own  Burgundian  soil,  hand 
in  hand  with  his  hardly  won  Queen. 

Kriemhilde  was  the  first  to  come  for- 
ward and  meet  the  stranger ;  she  greeted 
her  with  warm  yet  modest  words  ;  the  two 
embraced  and  kissed  in  most  sisterly  fash- 
ion ;  then  Queen  Ute  came  up  and  wel- 
comed her  new  daughter  with  a  kiss  upon 
her  rosy  lips.  It  was  some  time  before  all 
the  greetings  had  been  spoken,  and  as  the 
three  royal  ladies  stood  alone  in  the  middle 
of  the  wide  space  kept  free  around  them, 
all  eyes  were  bent  on  them,  and  all  the 
thousands  of  men  and  women  could  gaze 
on  them  at  their  leisure.  Years  after,  men 
recalled  the  picture  they  made  ;  but  while 
they  would  speak  with  praise  of  Queen 
Brunhilde's  beauty,  they  would,  for  maid- 
enly loveliness  and  delicate  bloom,  award 
the  prize  to  their  own  home-grown  flower, 
the  gentle  Kriemhilde. 


VIII 

THE  WEDDING 

THAT  evening  in  the  castle,  before 
King  Gunther  entered  the  banquet- 
hall,  Siegfried  came  to  him  and  summoned 
him,  in  his  usual  blunt  way,  to  redeem 
the  pledge  he  had  given  him  before  they 
started  for  Iceland.  The  King  took  the 
reminder  with  smiling  face  : 

"What  you  ask  for  is  but  your  right. 
I  have  not  forgotten  the  oath  I  swore 
with  lip  and  hand.  I  will  help  you  to  the 
best  of  my  power." 

And  he  forthwith  sent  for  his  sister. 
When  she  came,  with  many  fair  attendants, 
young  Giselher  met  her  at  the  head  of 
the  stairs  and  begged  her  to  send  them 
away,  as  the  King  wished  to  speak  to  her 
alone. 

61 


62  Siegfried 

They  led  Kriemhilde  to  where  Gunther 
stood,  and  round  him  in  a  circle  noble 
knights  from  many  lands.  Brunhilde  was 
just  passing,  with  her  following,  on  to  the 
banquet-hall ;  she  stopped,  to  look  and  hear. 

The  King  turned  smilingly  to  those 
around  him. 

"  Friends  and  liegemen  all,"  he  said, 
"  will  you  help  me  entreat  my  sister  that 
she  may  take  Siegfried  for  her  wedded 
lord?" 

In  one  voice  they  replied,  "  That  were 
most  meetly  don  !  " 

Again  the  King  spoke  : 

"  Noble  maiden,  sister  mine,  I  pray  thee, 
of  thy  goodness  and  thy  duty,  redeem  the 
pledge  I  gave.  I  swore  that  thou  shouldst 
wed  Siegfried  the  hero,  and  if  thou  dost 
take  him,  thou  wilt  do  me  right  sisterly 
service." 

The  maid  replied  with  seemly  modesty  : 

"  Dearest  brother  mine,  you  have  not 
need  to  beg.  Right  willingly  I  will  obey 
you  and  wed  the  man  you  have  chosen 
for  me ;  I  am  in  all  things  yours  to  com- 
mand." 


The  Wedding  63 

Siegfried's  handsome  face  flushed  with 
joy  and  pride  as  he  proffered  his  lifelong 
service  to  the  lady.  She  stood  with  down- 
cast eyes,  shy  and  blushing,  as  is  maidens' 
wont,  but  he  took  her  in  his  arms  and 
gave  her  the  kiss  of  betrothal  before  all 
the  court. 

That  evening  at  the  banquet,  King 
Gunther  sat  by  Brunhilde,  but  the  place 
of  honour  was  given  to  Siegfried  and  his 
lovely  bride,  and  his  Nibelung  knights  sat 
to  the  right  and  to  the  left  of  them.  This 
was  so  sore  a  sight  in  Brunhilde's  eyes 
that  she  could  not  hide  her  vexation,  and 
tear  after  tear  rolled  down  her  cheek. 
The  King  quickly  took  alarm  : 

"  What  is  the  trouble,  lady  mine,  that 
thus  early  bedews  and  dims  my  love's 
bright  eyes  ?  You  should  laugh  and  be 
glad,  for  you  are  queen  over  all  my  broad 
lands,  my  wealthy  cities  and  strong  castles, 
and  many  thousands  of  brave  men  are 
waiting  on  your  will." 

"  Nay,  but  rather  should  you  weep," 
she  retorted  pettishly.  "  My  heart  aches 
for  your  sister,  to  see  her  sitting  by  a 


64  Siegfried 

common  liegeman  of  yours.  I  must  weep, 
I  cannot  help  myself,  that  she  should  be 
thus  lowered." 

To  this  King  Gunther  replied  some- 
what sternly : 

"  Speak  not  of  what  you  do  not  under- 
stand. When  time  and  leisure  serve,  I 
will  explain  why  my  sister  weds  Siegfried. 
May  she  live  long  with  him  in  joy  and 
peace  ! " 

But  she  insisted : 

"  The.  pity  of  it !  Such  beauty  as  hers, 
such  gentleness,  thrown  thus  away  !  Had 
I  my  will,  I  could  fly  away  from  here. 
But  this  I  tell  you,  my  lord  King :  not  a 
word  will  I  speak  to  you  in  friendship  or 
in  wifely  duty  till  I  know  the  reason  why 
Kriemhilde  must  be  Siegfried's  bride." 

"  Thus  much,"  replied  the  King,  "  I  may 
tell  you  even  now,  and  you  may  believe 
my  word  :  Siegfried  is  himself  a  king,  has 
lands  and  castles  as  many  as  I  have  my- 
self;  therefore,  peerless  as  I  hold  my 
sister,  I  hold  him  her  worthy  mate." 

But  nothing  that  the  King  could  say 
availed  to  dispel  the  gloom  which  had 


The  Wedding  65 

settled  on  Brunhilde  ;  she  sat  with  lower- 
ing brow  and  thoughts  intent  on  mischief. 

That  night,  when  the  feast  was  over 
and  the  guests  had  gone  to  their  rest,  she 
kept  her  word  and  met  the  King's  most 
loving  attentions  with  the  same  sullen 
silence.  In  vain  he  pleaded  for  a  word,  a 
look ;  all  she  answered  was,  "  Not  till  I 
know  what  I  asked  you."  At  last  the 
King  grew  angry  and  changetl  from  ten- 
derness to  more  masterful  language.  Then 
Brunhilde,  forgetting  that  she  was  no 
longer  the  free  maid  of  Iceland,  gave  way 
to  her  temper  and  laid  violent  hands  on 
her  lord.  As  it  was  no^he  who  had  con- 
quered her,  he  could  do  nothing  against 
her,  once  she  chose  to  put  forth  all  her 
strength,  and  she  soon  had  him  bound 
hand  and  foot  with  her  long  silk  girdle, 
then  tied  him  fast  to  a  nail  in  the  wall, 
and  so  left  him  for  the  night,  ordering  him, 
as  she  retired  to  her  own  room,  not  to 
disturb  her  rest  by  moaning  or  speaking. 
As  for  her,  she  slept  soundly  till  morning. 

It  was  quite  early  yet  when  she  unbound 
him  and  bade  him  with  surly  words  take 


66  Siegfried 

a  morning  nap.  She  did  not  wish  to  dis- 
grace him  before  his  court,  but  would  not 
make  friends  with  him  herself.  Poor 
Gunther  was  naturally  very  crestfallen, 
and  could  not  quite  command  his  face  ; 
so  that  everybody  noticed  the  dejected 
air  which  he  wore  at  church,  where  both 
the  newly  wedded  pairs  went  in  solemn 
state  to  hear  high  mass,  and  afterwards  at 
the  royal  table,  and  at  the  games  which 
followed. 

Siegfried  saw  it  all  and  was  much  con- 
cerned. He  stole  to  the  King's  side  at  a 
moment  when  no  one  looked, -and  asked 
softly,  "  Is  anything  wrong  ?" 

Then  Gunther  told  of  his  mishap. 

"  See,"  he  ended,  "  see  my  hands,  how 
swollen  they  are.  She  squeezed  them  so, 
the  blood  almost  spurted  from  under  the 
nails.  I  was  as  a  child  in  her  hands  ;  I 
surely  thought  my  end  had  come.  Truly," 
he  cried,  in  bitterness  of  spirit,  "  I  have 
taken  to  my  home  with  this  woman  shame 
and  disgrace." 

"  There  must  be  an  end  of  her  pranks," 
Siegfried  declared  with  determined  mien. 


The  Wedding  67 

"  I  will-  undertake  to  bring  her  to  reason. 
To-night,  when  you  are  escorted  in  state 
to  your  apartments,  I  shall  join  the  pro- 
cession, but  I  shall  wear  my  tarn-cape,  so 
no  one  will  see  me.  I  shall  blow  out  the 
light  in  the  hand  of  one  of  your  link- 
bearers,  as  a  token  to  you.  You  shall 
have  no  more  trouble,  with  your  wife." 

"  So  you  do  not  kill  her,"  the  King  re- 
plied, "  I  care  not  how  severely  you 
punish  her.  She  is  a  terrible  woman."  . 

That  night,  just  as  the  King  and  Queen 
were  entering  their  apartments,  the  light 
suddenly  went  out  in  the  hands  of  one  of 
the  attendants.  By  that  token  Gunther 
knew  Siegfried  was  there.  He  immedi- 
ately dismissed  everybody  and  bolted  the 
door.  There  was  but  one  light,  in  a  dis- 
tant corner  of  the  room,  and  that  was 
shaded,  so  it  was  quite  dark.  And  now 
began  a  strange  performance. 

Siegfried  approached  Brunhilde  and, 
without  saying  a  word,  took  hold  of  her 
arms.  She,  thinking  of  course  it  was 
Gunther,  shook  him  off,  bidding  him  be- 
ware how  he  angered  her  again,  unless 


68  Siegfried 

he  wanted  to  pass  anQther  night  like  the 
last.  Then  he  gradually  began  to  put 
forth  more  and  more  strength,  and  so  did 
she,  and  they  wrestled.  So  evenly  were 
they  matched  that  it  was  long  before  he 
could  gain  the  slightest  advantage  over 
her.  In  their  wrestling  they  upset  chairs 
and  .tables  'and  stools,  and  swayed  so 
violently  from  side  to  side  that  Gunther 
had  more  than  once  to  run  out  of  their 
way  and  crouch  in  corners.  Once  Brun- 
hildehad  Siegfried  pinned  to  the  floor  and 
he  was  but  just  in  time  to  snatch  the 
girdle  out  of  her  hand.  After  this  he 
gained  steadily,  for  his  endurance  proved 
greater  than  hers,  and  at  last  he  had  her 
at  his  mercy  and  was  just  going  to  bind 
her,  when  she  began  to  plead  with  broken 
voice  : 

"  Noble  King,  forbear.  Take  not  my 
life.  I  will  henceforth  be  thy  dutiful  wife, 
nor  again  do  aught  to  anger  thee.  I  ac- 
knowledge thee  as  my  lord  and  master." 

Then  Siegfried  quietly  unbolted  the 
door  and  stole  out,  carrying  away  with 
him  Brunhilde's  girdle  and  a  little  gold 


The  Wedding  $9 

ring  which  he  had  taken  from  her  finger 
without  her  noticing  it.» 

The  next  day  both  Gunther  and  Brun- 
hilde  showed  happy  and  loving  faces. 
She  was  to  him  ever  after  as  kind  a  wife 
as  man  need  have;  and  all  might  have 
been  well,  had  not  Siegfried,  in  a  freak  of 
boastful  recklessness,  given  the  girdle  and 
ring  to  Kriemhilde,  whom  he  loved  more 
every  day.  A  piece  of  thoughtlessness 
which  was  to  cost  many  and  many  a  brave 
man  his  life. 

A  fortnight  longer  lasted  the  bridal  fes- 
tivities. Then  all  the  guests  dispersed, 
well  pleased  with  their  entertainment  and 
bearing  away  rich  gifts.  Siegfried  and 
his  lovely  wife  also  took  an  affectionate 
leave  of  their  friends  and  kinsfolk  by  the 
Rhine,  and,  escorted  by  the  thousand 
Nibelungs,  started  on  their  way  to  Xajite, 
in  the  Netherlands,  where  they  were  anx- 
iously expected. 


IX  :| 

THE  INVITATION 

TEN  years  flew  past.  Both  royal  house- 
holds prospered  and  lived  happy. 
Kriemhilde  made  herself  greatly  beloved 
of  King  Siegmund  and  Queen  Sieglinde, 
and  also  of  the  people  of  the  Netherlands. 
Even  the  wild  Nibelungs  became  devoted 
to  their  gentle  Queen.  And  soon  after 
Siegfried's  return  to  his  own  land,  when 
Queen  Sieglinde  died,  the  old  King  sol- 
emnly made  over  to  him  the  crown  and 
government,  declaring  that  he  himself 
had  well  earned  some  few  years  of  happy 
rest  and  would  enjoy  the  freedom  from 
the  care  and  toil  of  state  and  war.  Sieg- 
fried and  Gunther  never  met  in  all  these 
years,  but  their  friendship  was  kept  up  by 
frequent  kind  messages  and  loving  gifts. 


The  Invitation  71 

And  when  a  boy  was  born  to  each,  each 
named  his  own  for  his  friend  ;  so  Sieg- 
fried's boy  was  Gunther  and  Gunther's 
was  Siegfried. 

But  Brunhilde  had  never  forgotten  the 
grudge  she  had  taken  upon  her  wedding- 
day,  and  moreover  insisted  on  regarding 
Siegfried  as  her  husband's  vassal  and  sub- 
ject. And  so,-  when  she  had  been  mar- 
ried ten  years,  she  began  to  think  to 
herself :  "  I  wonder  what  makes  Kriem- 
hilde  bear  herself  so  arrogantly.  Her 
husband  is  nothing  but  a  liegeman  of  ours, 
yet  he  has  done  us  no  service  in  all  these 
years." 

She  did  not  speak  her  mind  out  openly, 
but  tried  crooked  ways  to  get  round  to 
her  ends.  She  began  to  talk  to  the  King 
of  her  great  desire  to  see  Kriemhilde 
again,  and  at  last  asked  if  he  would  not 
send  for  her  and  her  husband. 

"  How  can  you  talk  so  ?"  the  King  re- 
plied, reprovingly.  "  They  live  too  far 
away ;  it  were  too  much  to  ask  of  them." 

"  I  don't  see  that,"  she  retorted  ;  "  no 
matter  how  powerful  a  vassal  may  be,  it 


72  Siegfried 

is  his  duty  to  wait  on  his  liege  lord's  com- 
mands." 

Gunther  could  not  but  smile  at  his 
wife's  overbearing  manner.  He  wished 
in  his  heart  to  see  Siegfried  again,  but 
duty  or  service  had  little  to  do  with  the 
wish.  But  she  insisted ;  only  now  she 
coaxed. 

"  Dear  my  lord,"  she  said,  "  if  so  be  you 
still  have  some  little  love  for  me,  do  find 
some  way  to  get  your  sister  to  come  to 
visit  us.  You  could  not  do  anything  that 
would  give  me  more  pleasure.  She  is  so 
gentle,  of  such  sweet  and  noble  bearing, 
that  the  very  thought  of  her  does  me  good. 
I  mind  me  well  how  we  used  to  sit  to- 
gether when  you  and  I  were  first  married. 
And  right  noble  was  her  choice  when  she 
took  the  doughty  Siegfried  for  her  lord." 

She  begged  and  pleaded  till  the  King 
at  last  said  : 

"  Well,  then,  know  there  are  no  guests 
I  would  rather  see ;  so  you  have  an  easy 
task  of  it  when  you  strive  to  win  me  over. 
Be  it  so — I  will  send  messengers  to  them." 

So  thirty  knights  were  chosen — a  goodly 


The  Invitation  73 

embassy.  They  carried  greetings  and 
most  loving  messages  from  Gunther  and 
,  Brunhilde,  and  Gernot  and  young  Gisel- 
her,  and  from  their  mother,  Queen  Ute, 
with  entreaties  that  Siegfried  and  Kriem- 
hilde  might  come  to  Worms  on  a  long 
visit,  to  see  their  affectionate  relations, 
when  a  great  court  gathering  and  tourna- 
ment should  be  held  in  their  honour.  To 
make  the  invitation  still  more  pressing 
and  pleasing,  a  kinsman  of  the  ,Burgun- 
dian  royal  house  and  Siegfried's  warm 
friend,  Margrave  Gere,  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  embassy. 

Siegfried  had,  for  the  last  "few  years, 
been  residing  in  Norway,  the  Land  of  the 
Nibelungs,  being  fonder  of  it  than  of  the 
Netherlands,  and  thither  his  brother-in- 
law's  envoys  travelled  to  seek  him.  It 
was  a  long  journey  and  took  them  three 
weeks.  They  were  very  weary  when  they 
arrived,  but  the  welcome  which  they  re- 
ceived, the  rest  and  good  cheer,  soon  re- 
stored their  strength.  It  was  some  time 
before  they  could  tell  the  real  object  of 
their  coming,  they  had  to  answer  so  many 


74  Siegfried 

eager  questions.  But  when  at  last  Mar- 
grave Gere  proffered  the  invitation  in  due 
form,  it  was  joyfully  accepted,  one  thou- 
sand Nibelung  warriors  volunteering  to 
escort  their  King  and  Queen  as  a  guard 
of  honour.  Even  old  King  Siegmund  de- 
clared his  intention  of  going  with  them, 
taking  his  own  following  of  one  hundred 
knights,  for  he  wished  to  become  person- 
ally acquainted  with  his  son's  Burgundian 
relatives.  Now  that  it  was  decided,  they 
were  all  impatient  to  get  off,  and  when 
they  dismissed  the  envoys  they  promised 
to  follow  in  twelve  days. 

When  Margrave  Gere  and  his  com- 
panions arrived  at  Worms,  they  rode 
straight  to  the  palace,  and,  as  they  dis- 
mounted, everybody  ran  to  meet  them, 
deafening  them  with  shouts  of  greeting 
and  with  questions  ;  everybody  wanted  to 
know  how  they  had  sped  on  their  errand, 
so  that  Gere  had  to  chide  :  "  When  I  have 
told  the  King,"  he  said,  "you  shall  know 
too,"  and  passed  on  to  the  King's  apart- 
ments. 

Gunther  sprang  from  his  chair  when  he 


The  Invitation  75 

saw  him  enter  ;  Brunhilde  rose  to  greet 
him. 

"  How  fares  my  noble  Siegfried,  my 
loving  friend?"  asked  the  King. 

"  Tell  me  quick,  is  Kriemhilde  com- 
ing ?"  broke  in  the  Queen.  "  And  is  her 
beauty  still  as  perfect  as  before  she  left 
us?" 

"  Is  my  daughter  in  good  health  and 
spirits?"  Queen  Ute  inquired. 

Gere  managed  to  answer  all  these  ques- 
tions at  once  : 

"  They  are  both  well.  They  are  both 
coming.  And  many  knights  with  them." 

Then  he  had  to  tell  in  detail  all  that  be- 
fel  him  and  his  companions  on  their  jour- 
ney and  at  Siegfried's  court ;  and  all  the 
gifts  were  displayed  which  had  gladdened 
every  one  of  the  envoys. 

"  Well  may  he  give  with  both  hands," 
sullen  Hagen  was  heard  to  mutter.  "  He 
holds  a  treasure  which  he  could  never 
spend,  though  he  lived  a  thousand  years. 
Ah,  would  that  the  hoard  could  be  brought 
over  here  to  Burgundy  ! " 


THE  VISIT 

SIEGFRIED  and  Kriemhilde  were  so 
diligent  in  their  preparations  that 
they  were  ready  to  start  at  the  appointed 
time.  They  had  no  thought  but  of  pleas- 
ure ;  never  did  lighter  hearts  speed  on 
more  fatal  journey.  The  only  thing  that 
damped  their  spirits  at  the  last  moment 
was  that  they  had  to  leave  their  little  son 
behind.  But  he  was  under  good  and 
trusty  care,  and  as  he  bade  father  and 
mother  good-bye,  he  never  dreamed  that 
he  was  seeing  the  last  of  them  for  all  time. 
Messengers  sent  on  betimes  announced 
their  coming.  As  soon  as  King  Gunther 
heard  that  they  were  within  a  day's  travel 
from  Worms,  he  sought  Brunhilde  in  her 
apartment,  and,  sitting  down  by  her,  said  : 


The  Visit  77 

"  Do  you  remember  how  my  sister  re- 
ceived you  when  you  first  came  to  this 
country  ?  You  will  now,  to  please  me, 
so  receive  Siegfried's  wife  as  she  then 
received  my  bride." 

"  That  will  I,"  she  replied  heartily, 
"  right  gladly  ;  to  please  you,  and  to  please 
myself  too,  for  I  love  her  well." 

"They  will  be  here  to-morrow  morning," 
he  went  on  ;  "  so  do  not  loiter,  that  they 
may  not  come  upon  us  unawares.  It  has 
not  often  been  given  me  to  welcome 
guests  so  dear." 

The  meeting  was  most  joyful  and  affec- 
tionate. The  queens,  having  embraced 
and  kissed,  looked  at  each  other  long,  and 
walked  away  with  their  arms  around  each 
other,  while  Gernot  and  young  Giselher 
took  possession  of  Siegfried,  and  Gunther 
gave  respectful  greeting  to  the  aged  Sieg- 
mund,  whose  coming  such  a  distance  he 
rightly  took  as  a  great  compliment.  H  agen 
of  Tronje,  too,  and  his  nephew,  Marshal 
Ortewein  of  Metz,  showed  themselves 
courtly  hosts  —  an  unwonted  effort  for 
Hagen. 


7*  Siegfried 

The  guests  were  hardly  given  time  to 
rest  before  the  festivities  began,  so  great 
was  the  desire  to  see  them.  The  days 
were  taken  up  with  Jousts,  sham  battles, 
and  all  knightly  exercises ;  the  evenings 
with  feasting  and  with  dancing.  Again 
Siegfried  sat  in  the  seat  of  honour,  with 
his  thousand  Nibelungs  to  the  right  and 
to  the  left  of  him.  And  again  Brunhilde 
wondered  that  one  who  was  her  husband's 
liegeman  should  make  such  a  display  of 
wealth  and  power  and  bear  himself  so  inde- 
pendently. 

Each  morning  hosts  and  guests  went 
in  to  hear  high  mass  in  peace  and  harmony. 
Gunther  and  Siegfried  walked  together 
to  the  minster,  when  the  bells  called  to 
mass,  and  so  did  the  two  queens,  under 
a  canopy,  surmounted  with  a  royal  crown. 
Then  they  walked  out  of  church  in  the 
same  order  and  proceeded  to  the  palace 
and  to  the  banquet-hall.  Things  went 
on  thus  peacefully  and  pleasantly  for  ten 
days,  for  Brunhilde  as  yet  had  no  unkind 
feelings  towards  her  guests.  She  only 
kept  thinking  to  herself :  "  I  cannot  bear 


The  Visit  79 

this  much  longer.  In  some  way  or  other 
I  must  get  Kriemhilde  to  tell  me  how  it 
is  that  her  husband,  in  all  these  years, 
has  neither  done  us  any  service  nor  paid 
us  any  tribute  :  for,  after  all,  he  is  our 
vassal." 

She  bided  her  time,  waiting  for  a  chance. 
And  the  evil  enemy  of  mankind,  who  is 
ever  on  the  watch  to  do  harm  and  mis- 
chief among  men,  took  care  to  bring 
about  the  chance  she  looked  for,  though 
not  in  the  way  she  might  have  wished. 


XI 

'THE  QUARREL 
s, 

IT  was  afternoon  on  th.e  eleventh  day  of 
the  visit.  Tilting  and  lance-breaking 
were  going  on  in  the  castle  yard  just  before 
vespers,  and  many  of  the  ladies,  not  a  few 
men  also,  were  looking  orf  from  the  win- 
dows. The  two  queens  sat  together  at 
one  of  them,  interested  and  amused,  when 
something,  in  an  evil  hour,  prompted 
Kriemhilde  to  remark : 

"If  everybody  had  their  deserts,  all 
these  lands  should  be  my  husband's." 

"How  could  that  be?"  replied  Brun- 
hilde.  "If  no  one  else  of  the  family  were 
alive  but  you  and  he,  these  lands  might 
be  his  ;  but  not  so  long  as  Gunther  lives." 

"  See  there  !  "  cried  Kriemhilde,  point- 
ing down,  "  see  where  he  moves  about  so 
so 


arrel  Si 

lordly  amidst  n  knights,  as  the  full 

moon  amidst  I!KJ  pt'iig  stars!  It  glad- 
dens my  hear:  \  i  ry  time  I  see  him  thus." 

"  However  lordly  be  your  husband," 
Brunhilde  again  replied,  "  however  hand- 
some and  stalwart,  he  is  not  the  equal  of 
Gunther,  your  noble  brother  and  my  lord. 
You  must  know  that  Gunther  is  greater 
than  all  the  kings  that  live."  ' 

"  Nay,  so  worthy  is  my  husband,"  re- 
torted Kriemhilde,  waxing  warm,  "that 
what  I  say  of  -him  is  far  from  idle  praise. 
In  many  ways  has  he  achieved  high  hon- 
ours. Believe  me,  Brunhilde,  he  is  fully 
Gunther's  equal." 

"  Hardly  that,"  replied  Brunhilde,  still 
good-naturedly.  "  You  must  not  take  it 
ill  of  me,  because  I  am  not  speaking  with- 
out good  reason.  When  I  first  saw  them 
both  in  Iceland,  that  time  King  Gunther 
played  against  me  and  won  my  hand  in 
such  heroic  guise,  I  heard  Siegfried  him- 
self call  himself  the  King's  liegeman.  I 
heard,  I  say,  and  therefore  it  is  I  have 
always  counted  him  our  vassal." 

"  If  that  were  so,"  the  fair  Kriemhilde 


82  Siegfried 

retorted,  "  evil  had  been  my  plight.  How 
could  my  noble  brothers  have  wooed  so 
ill  for  me,  as  to  mate  me  with  a  subject  ? 
No,  no,  Brunhilde,  if  you  love  me,  leave 
such  words  unspoken  in  future." 

To  which  the  Queen  made  answer : 

"  I  cannot  and  never  will.  Am  I  to 
renounce  our  right  to  every  knight  whose 
sword  is  pledged  to  our  service  ?" 

Kriemhilde  now  was  thoroughly  an- 
gered. 

"You  will  have  to  renounce  all  claim 
to  one,  anyhow,"  she  said,  "  for  he  will  do 
you  no  service,  take  my  word  for  it — 
never  in  the  world.  He  is  a  hero  worth- 
ier than  even  my  brother  Gunther,  that 
blameless  knight.  So  prithee,  spare  me 
such  unseemly  words.  And  besides,  how 
comes  it,  if  so  be  he  is  your  liegeman  and 
you  hold  such, great  power  over  us  both, 
that  he  has.withheld  his  duty  from  you  so 
long?  Enough  of  this,  I  say.  I  am  sick 
of  your  overbearing  ways." 

"  You  forget  yourself,"  said  the  Queen, 
haughtily.  "  Enough  words,  say  I  too. 
This  very  day  shall  show  whether  you 


The  Quarrel  $3 

are  in  truth  held  in  as  high  honour  as  I 
am  myself." 

Then  Kriemhilde  spoke  again,  and  by 
this  time  both  the  women  were  panting 
with  rage  : 

"  Be  it  so.  Since  you  have  dared  to 
call  my  Siegfried  your  man,  the  knights 
of  both  the  kings  shall  see,  when  I  walk 
into  the  church,  whether  I  am  not  entitled 
to  take  precedence  of  the  Queen  of  Bur- 
gundy. I  will  let  you  see  that  I  am  nobly 
born  and  free,  and  that  my  husband  is 
worthier  far  than  yours.  For  I  will  not 
brook  the  slur  on  my  own  name.  This 
very  day  shall  you  see  your  liegewoman 
walk  before  you  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
knights  of  Burgundy.  I  will  take  my 
stand  higher  than  any  daughter  of  royal 
blood  that  ever  wore  a  crown. — Come, 
ye  maidens,  't  is  vesper  time  ;  array  your- 
selves for  church.  And  if  any  one  of  you 
have  some  piece.of. .jich  and  rare  apparel 
that  she  treasured  against  some  great  oc- 
casion, let  her  don  it  now :  this  day  shall 
decide  whether  I  may  stay  here  any 
longer,  free  from  blame  and  shame." 


84  Siegfried 

Not  many  minutes  passed  before 
Kriemhilde  descended  the  stairs  attended 
by  her  forty-three  maidens,  in  such  rich 
attire  as  would  have  befitted  a  coronation 
feast.  In  the  palace  yard  they  found 
Siegfried's  men  awaiting  them.  Brun- 
hilde,  with  her  women,  also  in  their  brav- 
est finery,  were  joined  by  Gunther's 
knights.  Thus  two  separate  processions 
formed  and  advanced  towards  the  minster 
— at  which  the  townsfolk  marvelled  much, 
V__  as  they  stood  gazing  and  agape. 

The  two  queens  met  before  the  min- 
ster's wide-open  doors.  Here  Brunhilde, 
with  frowning  mien,  in  angry  tones,  loudly 
commanded  Siegfried's  wife  to  stop.  "  It 
is  not  meet,"  she  cried,  "that  a  liege- 
woman  should  pass  before  the  Queen." 

Kriemhilde's  retort  came  quick  and 
bitter : 

"  It  had  been  better  for  thee  hadst  thou 
held  thy  peace.  But  since  thou  wilt  have 
it,  I  ask,  Can  she  who  has  been  a  man's 
bondswoman  ever  be  a  queen  ?  " 

"Whom  dost  thou  mean?"  Brunhilde 
cried,  aghast. 


The  Quarrel  85 

"  I  mean  thee.  Siegfried,  my  beloved 
husband,  wrestled  with  thee  and  mastered 
thee,  laying  thee  prostrate,  at  his  mercy, 
on  the  ground.  By  rights,  that  made  thee 
bond  to  him.  My  brother  Gunther  was 
not  the  man  to  COJDC  with  thy  untamed 
strength.  How,  then,  canst  thou  claim 
Siegfried  for  thy  liegeman  ?  " 

Brunhilde  was  speechless  with  horror 
and  amazement.  She  could  only  mur- 
mur, "  I  will  ask  Gunther,"  and  broke  into 
tears.  When  Kriemhilde,  with  her  fol- 
lowing, swept  before  her  into  the  church, 
she  did  not  attempt  to  hinder  her.  But 
she  did  not  follow.  She  stood  all  through 
the  service,  outside  on  the  porch,  sur- 
rounded by  her  own  women  and  knights. 
She  did  not  speak  a  word,  but  kept  turn- 
ing thoughts  of  hatred  and  vengeance 
over  and  over  in  her  mind. 

At  last  the  service  was  over,  and  Kriem- 
hilde, with  all  her  following,  came  out  of  the 
minster.  Brunhilde  met  her  face  to  face. 

"  Stay  ! "  she  commanded,  "  one  moment 
more .!  I  have  heard  words — now  give  me 
proofs." 


86  Siegfried 

Kriemhilde  showed  the  little  gold  ring 
on  her  finger. 

"  This  ring,"  she  said,  "  Siegfried  took 
from  you  and  brought  to  me.  Again  I 
tell  you,  you  had  better  let  me  pass." 

"  Oh  !  "  cried  Brunhilde,  "  that  ring  was 
stolen  from  me  ;  I  have  missed  it  for 
years  ;  now  I  see  who  was  the  thief  ! " 

And  she  cast  a  withering  look  on  Kriem- 
hilde. But  Kriemhilde  had  not  yet  done. 

"  You  shall  not  call  me  thief,"  she  said. 
"  You  will  not  hold  your  peace  :  then  take 
the  consequences.  Do  you  see  this  gir- 
dle that  I  have  here,  wound  around  my 
waist  ?  That  also  Siegfried  brought  me 
with  the  ring." 

When  she  saw  the  girdle,  Brunhilde 
broke  down,  and,  between  tears  and  sobs, 
sent  for  King  Gunther  in  haste.  He 
came  at  once,  and  asked,  with  great  con- 
cern, what  had  happened  to  distress  her 
so.  When  she  had  told  him,  he  frowned 
heavily  and  sent  for  Siegfried. 

Great  was  Siegfried's  amazement  at  the 
scene  he  found.  He  looked  from  one  to 
the  other,  and  asked,  wonderingly  : 


The  Quarrel  87 

"  What  are  the  women  crying  for,  and 
what  is  it  all  about  ?  " 

Gunther  eyed  him  gravely  : 

"  I  find  much  serious  matter  here. 
Your  wife,  my  sister  Kriemhilde,  has 
grievously  insulted  the  Lady  Brunhilde, 
my  Queen  :  she  has  called  her  your  bonds- 
woman before  all  these  witnesses.  Did 
you  ever  make  such  boast  ?  " 

"  Never,"  said  Siegfried ;  "  if  she  has 
said  any  such  thing,  she  shall  be  made  to 
rue  it.  And  I  will  clear  myself  by  oath, 
with  hand  and  lip,  before  your  whole 
army  :  I  never  made  such  boast." 

Then  the  Burgundians- were  made  to 
stand  in  a  circle  and  Siegfried  stretched 
out  his  right  hand.  Gunther  declared 
himself  satisfied,  and  they  parted  seem- 
ingly as  good  friends  as  ever. 

But  the  mischief  was  done.  Siegfried 
could  not  have  acted  differently.  For  the 
good  of  all  concerned  he  had  to  clear 
himself  by  oath  when  the  matter  came  to 
the  test,  but  he  bitterly  repented  in  his 
heart  his  weakness  in  letting  so  dread  a 
secret  out  of  his  own  keeping  and  in  giv- 


8$  Siegfried 

ing  the  ring  and  girdle  to  his  bride  of  a 
day.  Gunther,  on  the  other  hand,  for 
the  same  reasons,  had  to  show  himself 
content  and  dismiss  the  whole  matter 
lightly,  as  a  piece  of  gossip  between  two 
angry  women.  But  he  knew  right  well 
that  Siegfried  must  have  told  his  wife, 
since  she  could  not  possibly  have  known 
in  any  other  way.  Still,  so  strong  was 
the  friendship  between  the  two  men,  and 
so  deep  Gunther's  sense  of  Siegfried's 
services,  that  even  this  cloud,  heavy  as  it 
was,  would  have  passed  away  in  time,  but 
for  Brunhilde's  vindictiveness  and  Hagen's 
malicious  promptings. 

He  had  sought  the  Queen  immediately 
after  the  quarrel  and  vowed  to  avenge 
her  on  Siegfried's  person.  Gernot  and 
Ortewein,  the  Marshal,  came  in  also,  and 
straightway  began  to  devise  ways  of  put- 
ting him  to  death.  Only  Giselher,  the 
youngest  of  the  three  brothers  and  Sieg- 
fried's staunch  friend  always,  tried  to  pour 
oil  on  the  angry  spirits  : 

"  Alas  !  my  friends,  why  nurse  such  evil 
thoughts  ?  Siegfried  has  done  nothing  to 


The  Quarrel  89 

deserve  such  hatred,  nothing  that  should 
make  his  life  forfeit.  And  women,  we  all 
know,  will  quarrel  about  many  things." 

The  King  himself  spoke  in  this  sense  : 

"He  never  did  us  aught  but  good. 
Let  him  live  in  peace.  Why  should  I 
hate  him  ?  He  has  been  our  willing,  loyal 
friend  through  all." 

But  all  the  others  were  set  against 
Siegfried,  though  with  no  reason  at  all. 
Still  no  one  dared  to  act  directly  against 
the  King's  command.  But  Hagen  kept 
repeating  to  him  day  after  day  how  that, 
if  Siegfried  were  no  more,  many  a  land 
would  become  subject  to  him.  Then 
Gunther  fell  into  a  deep,  brooding  melan- 
choly ;  he  resisted  more  feebly,  till  once 
he  said  to  Hagen  ; 

"  Oh,  do  cast  off  all'  such  murderous 
thoughts.  He  never  did  us  harm,  but  al- 
ways good.  Besides,  know. you  not  that 
he  is  of  such  wondrous  might,  that  the 
man  is  not  born  who  could  overcome  him 
in  fair  combat  ?  " 

Now  Hagen  had  Gunther  where  he 
wanted  him. 


90  Siegfried 

"  Let  not  that  trouble  you,"  he  said  reas- 
suringly. "  Everything  shall  be  carefully 
prepared.  But  Brunhilde's  tears  shall  be 
brought  home  to  him.  When  he  slan- 
dered the  Queen,  he  did  not  count  on 
Hagen." 

"  But  how  can  the  thing  be  done  ? " 
Gunther  asked  weakly. 

"  Nothing  can  be  easier.  We  will  get 
sham  messengers  to  come  to  Worms, 
men  whom  nobody  knows,  and  they  shall 
make  us  a  declaration  of  war.  As  soon 
as  Siegfried  hears  of  it,  he  will  want  to 
help  you  and  offer  to  take  the  field  with 
you.  Then  we  shall  have  an  easy  task. 
Only  there  is  something  I  must  find  out 
first  from  hi?  wife." 

So  persistent  was  the  evil  counsellor 
that  the  King  at  last  gave  way,  and  the 
two  now  discussed  together  the  unholy 
plan. 


XII 

TREASON 

EVERYTHING   happened  as  Hagen 
had  planned.     The  sham  messengers 
came,  pretending  to  be  sent  by  Burgundy's 
old  foes,  the  kings  of  Saxony  and  Den- 
mark, Ludeger  and  Ludegast. 

Siegfried  was  noble  and  honest  to  the 
core,  and  therefore  easy  to  deceive.  He 
was  so  indignant  when  he  was  told  that 
the  two  kings  intended  to  break  the  peace 
they  had  solemnly  sworn  when  he  so 
generously  obtained  their  release  free  of 
ransom,  that  he  entreated  Gunther  to  let 
him  make  this  quarrel  his  own  and  fight 
it  out  with  only  his  own  men.  He  would 
not  hear  of  Gunther  stirring  from  Worms, 
only  asking  him  to  look  after  Kriemhilde 
and  keep  his  aged  father  Siegmund  in 
9* 


92  Siegfried 

good  health  and  spirits.  Things  could 
not  have  favoured  the  traitors  more. 
Many  among  the  King's  men  knew  of 
what  was  going  on  and  were  ashamed, 
but  did  not  dare  openly  to  disapprove. 

While  Siegfried  was  busy  looking  after 
the  horses,  and  arms,  and  supplies  for 
his  troop,  Hagen  went  to  seek  Kriemhilde, 
as  though  to  take  his  leave  of  her,  and 
was  received  by  her  with  cousinly  kind- 
ness. She  was  bright  and  hopeful. 

"  I  am  proud  to  think,"  she  said,  "that 
I  have  brought  into  the  family  a  man 
who  can  save  my  brothers  so  much  trouble. 
And  now,  friend  Hagen,  I  hope  you  re- 
member that  I  have  always  taken  pleasure 
in  serving  you  where  I  could,  and  that 
I  never  in  any  way  offended  you.  Let 
that  plead  for  my  dear  husband  :  do  not 
bear  him  any  ill-feeling  for  what  I  did  to 
Brunhilde.  I  have  long  regretted  it. 
Besides,  he  has  punished  me  so  severely 
for  having  grieved  the  Queen,  that  my 
body  has  borne  the  marks  this  many  a 
day,  so  she  may  surely  be  content." 

"  You  ladies  will  make  friends  again  in 


Treason  93 

a  day  or  two,"  Hagen  replied,  lightly. 
"  And  now,  Kriemhilde,  dear  cousin  and 
lady  mine,  tell  me  how  I  may  best  serve 
Siegfried  your  lord,  and  I  will  do  so  most 
willingly." 

"You  are  my  kinsman,"  she  said,  "and 
I  will  confide  in  you.  You  know  that 
when  he  slew  the  dreadful  Linden-Dragon, 
he  bathed  in  the  monster's  blood,  and 
that  made  him  proof  against  all  weapons. 
Yet  when  he  is  away  from  me,  I  am  in 
mortal  fear,  because  I  know  there  is  one 
spot  on  his  body  where  he  can  be  wounded, 
and  how  can  I  say  that  a  random  spear 
or  arrow  will  not  hit  that  spot  ?  For 
while  the  blood  was  spurting  hot  from 
the  Dragon's  wounds  and  he  was  bending 
down  to  bathe  in  it,  a  leaf  from  the  linden- 
tree  fluttered  down  and  settled  between 
his  shoulders.  That  spot  was  not  touched 
by  the  blood  and  therefore  can  be  pierced. 
I  will  sew  a  little  cross  with  fine  silk  on 
his  coat  just  where  the  leaf  fell,  and, 
Hagen,  dear  friend,  you  must  promise 
me  always  to  be  near  him  and  cover  him 
with  your  shield,  so  that  no  foeman's 


94  Siegfried 

weapon  can  hit  him  from  behind.  I  place 
my  dear  lord  in  your  loyal  safeguard,  and 
thereby  place  in  your  hands  more  than 
my  life.  Fail  me  not,  and  you  may  rest 
assured  that  I  will  be  your  loving  and 
much  beholden  cousin  as  long  as  we  both 
live." 

"  Dear  lady  mine,  I  will  do  my  best," 
was  all  Hagen  said — and  forthwith  sought 
out  Gunther,  full  of  unholy  joy  : 

"  I  know  now  what  I  went  to  learn.  Let 
us  dispose  of  those  messengers  and  order 
the  hunt." 

Thus  Siegfried's  own  devoted  wife,  out 
of  the  fulness  of  her  love,  betrayed  him  to 
his  death ! 

Early  the  next  morning  the  hero  cheer- 
ily rode  forth,  eager  to  do  another  good 
service  to  his  friends.  Hagen  rode  behind 
him,  so  close  that  he  could  plainly  see  on 
his  back  the  little  cross  in  silk.  Then  he 
fell  back  and  secretly  sent  off  two  of  his 
men  to  court.  They  were  to  pretend  that 
they  came  from  Ludegast  and  Ludeger, 
who  had  changed  their  mind  and  wished  to 
remain  on  friendly  terms  with  Burgundy. 


Treason  95 

As  soon  as  the  false  embassy  was  re- 
ceived, a  messenger*  was  despatched  post- 
haste to  recall  Siegfried,  who  was  inclined 
to  grumble  at  having  such  brave  sport 
spoiled.  But  he  regained  his  temper  and 
his  spirits  when  Gunther  proposed  a  great 
hunting  expedition  into  the  mountains  of 
Odenwald,  which  teemed  with  bears  and 
boars,  with  deer  and  other  big  game.  He 
only  staid  to  see  his  wife  before  they 
started,  for  they  were  to  be  away  several 
days,  perhaps  weeks. 

During  his  absence  Hagen  told  the 
King  what  he  had  learned  and  exactly 
how  he  meant  to  manage.  Never  was 
blacker  plot  hatched  by  blacker  soul. 
Gernot  and  Giselher  refused  to  go  ;  they 
would  have  no  part  in  it.  But  they  did 
not  warn  the  hero,  and  so  shared  the 
guilt,  and  had  to  pay  for  it  with  the  rest, 
in  due  time. 


XIII 
SIEGFRIED'S  DEATH 

WHILE  Hagen  and  Gunther  gave 
their  orders  for  the  chase  in  which 
nobler  game  than  bears  and  boars  was  to 
be  hunted  down,  and  the  pack-horses  with 
provisions  and  other  necessaries  were 
starting  for  the  forest,  Siegfried  was  tar- 
rying with  Kriemhilde,  whose  heart  was 
heavy  and  boded  evil.  He  soothed  her 
and  talked  to  her,  and  many  times  kissed 
her  rosy  lips. 

"  Dear  heart,"  he  said,  "  why  these 
tears?  God  will  grant  that  I  find  thee 
safe  and  well,  and  keep  me  so  for  love  of 
thee.  In  the  meantime,  while  away  the 
hours  with  good  friends.  I  shall  not  be 
long  gone." 

But  she  was  thinking  of  what  she  had 
96 


Siegfried's  Death  97 

told  Hagen,  only  did  not  dare  to  speak  of 
it.  And  she  wept  and  wept,  and  would 
not  be  comforted. 

"  Oh,  let  this  hunt  be,"  she  begged.  "  I 
had  such  a  bad  dream  !  Two  wild  boars 
were  chasing  thee  across  the  heath,  and 
on  their  track  the  flowers  were  dyed  red. 
Ah  me,  but  I  am  afraid  !  treason  may  be 
dogging  thee.  One  never  knows  whom 
one  may  have  offended  unawares,  and 
hatred  is  watchful  and  dangerous.  Stay 
here  with  me,  dear  my  lord  ;  't  is  love  that 
bids  thee." 

"  Why,  dear  one,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  be 
back  in  a  short  time.  I  know  of  nobody 
here  who  could  bear  me  hatred  or  envy. 
Thy  friends  are  all  well  disposed  towards 
me,  and  surely  I  have  well  earned  thy 
brothers'  love." 

"  Alas,  my  Siegfried,"  she  still  wailed, 
"  I  fear  some  evil  thing  may  befall  thee. 
And  I  had  another  dream  :  two  mount- 
ains fell  on  thee  in  a  valley,  and  hid  thee 
from  my  sight.  If  thou  goest  from  me,  I 
shall  wear  myself  to  death." 

He  took  her  in  his  arms,  and  kissed  and 


98  Siegfried 

petted  her,  then  left  her  quickly  and  was 
gone.  But  she  stood  long  just  where  he 
left  her  and  could  not  control  her  grief. 
For  she  bethought  her  of  still  another 
dream  which  she  had  dreamed  years  ago, 
long  before  she  ever  saw  him. 

She  dreamt  she  had  reared  a  falcon. 
It  grew  up  handsome,  strong,  and  wild, 
and  she  loved  the  bird  dearly.  Then  two 
eagles  attacked  it  and  killed  it  before  her 
eyes.  Nothing  ever  had  grieved  her  so. 
And  when  she  awoke,  she  told  her  mother 
of  the  dream.  Queen  Ute  read  it  thus  : 
"  The  falcon,"  she  said,  "  is  a  noble  lover. 
God  pity  and  save  him,  or  it  will  go  ill 
with  him."  She  laughed  lightly,  and 
boasted  she  never  would  love  or  wed — as 
maidens  will.  But  now  the  dream  came 
home  to  her ;  she  knew  her  falcon  had 
gone  from  her  and  nothing  could  bring 
him  back. 

Meanwhile  the  great  chase  had  begun. 
The  hunters  separated  in  many  parties, 
with  their  several  packs  of  hounds,  hav- 
ing first  agreed  on  the  meeting-place, 
where  the  attendants  were  to  wait  for 


Siegfried's  Death  99 

them  with  tents  and  provisions.  Soon 
the  mountains  and  the  forest  resounded 
with  the  blast  of  horns  and  the  baying  of 
hounds  on  the  scent.  Boughs  broke 
crackling  and  dry  leaves  rustled  as  the 
scared  game  rushed  wildly  in  all  direc- 
tions. And  when,  at  a  signal  from  the 
King's  horn,  the  noble  hunters  met  at  the 
appointed  place,  a  beautiful  grassy  glade 
on  a  sunlit  mountain-side,  each  had  some- 
thing to  tell  and  something  to  show  for 
his  morning's  work.  But  Siegfried  cast 
down  in  the  midst  of  the  gathering  a  live 
bound  bear,  which  he  had  captured  with 
the  help  of  his  favourite  dog  and  flung 
across  his  horse.  There  was  much  shout- 
ing and  laughing  at  the  joke ;  but  when 
he  cut  the  thongs  that  tied  the  bear's  feet 
and  snout,  and  the  furious  beast  made  a 
rush  through  the  throng,  to  the  rear, 
where  the  meal  was  cooking,  upsetting  at- 
tendants and  kettles,  scattering  the  fire, 
and  scaring  the  horses,  the  laughter 
changed  to  shrieks  of  fright,  until  the 
bear  was  seen  to  make,  on  a  run,  for  the 
wood,  with  the  hounds  after  him  in  full 


ioo  Siegfried 

cry.  Siegfried  gave  him  a  considerable 
advance,  then  started  in  pursuit.  Several 
others  started  with  him,  but  soon  lagged 
behind ;  there  was  only  one  man  fleet  of 
foot  enough  for  such  a  race.  All  clapped 
and  shouted  in  wonder  and  praise  when 
the  hero  of  the  Netherlands,  bounding  up 
to  the  fleeing  beast,  despatched  him  with 
one  thrust  of  the  sword,  then  returned, 
calm  and  smiling,  with  breath  unspent,  to 
\  where  his  comrades  stood. 

It  was  no  town-bred  hunger  with  which 
the  hunters  sat  down  to  the  ample  feast 
provided  for  them.  Not  less  hearty  was 
their  thirst.  Great,  therefore,  was  the 
disappointment  when  it  was  found  that 
this  part  of  the  refreshments  had  been 
forgotten ;  not  one  cask  of  wine  or  mead 
had  been  sent  up.  Gunther  and  Hagen 
alone  knew  that  the  mishap  was  not  due 
to  chance.  Both  played  their  parts  well. 
Gunther  chid  his  cousin,  and  Hagen  ex- 
cused himself  by  saying  that  the  drink 
had,  by  mistake,  been  sent  to  the  wrong 
place. 

"  But,"  he  said,  "  I  know  the  loveliest, 


Siegfried's  Death  101 

coolest  spring,  not  far  from  here,  at  the 
foot  of  a  large  linden-tree.  Let  us  go  there." 

And  when  all  arose,  eager  for  the 
water,  he  added,  with  wily  intent : 

"  I  have  always  heard  it  said  that  no 
one  can  win  a  race  from  Kriemhilde's 
lord,  when  he  is  in  earnest.  I  wish  we 
could  see  one  !." 

"  So  you  shall,"  cried  Siegfried,  who 
was  in  boyish  spirits  that  day  ;  "  let  us  race 
to  the  spring !  And  I  shall  wear  all  my 
hunting-gear,  while  you  may  run  in  your 
shirts." 

He  quickly  belted  on  his  sword,  good 
Balmung,  took  up  his  shield  and  spear 
and  bow,  and  threw  his  quiver  over  his 
shoulder.  Hagen  and  Gunther,  instead, 
cast  off  all  their  clothing,  except  only 
their  long  white  linen  shirts,  in  which 
they  stood  side  by  side  as  the  signal  was 
given,  when  they  started  through  the 
clover  like  two  wild  panthers.  But  Sieg- 
fried stood  by  the  spring  long  before  they 
arrived. 

They  willingly  confessed  themselves 
beaten,  and  he  quickly  threw  off  his 


Unirersity  of  California  at  Los  *^v 


102  Siegfried 

quiver,  leaned  his  spear  against  the  linden- 
tree,  and  laid  down  on  the  grass  Balmung, 
his  shield,  and  the  panther  skin  which 
hung  down  his  back.  Thus  he  stood 
in  his  tight-fitting  black  hunting-coat,  a 
right  royal,  noble  figure,  beneath  the 
wide-spreading,  shady  tree,  by  the  clear, 
cool  forest  spring,  and  courteously  signed 
to  Gunther  to  drink  first.  The  King  took 
a  long  draught,  and  as  he  rose  to  his  feet 
Siegfried  stepped  up  and  prepared  to  do 
likewise,  looking  neither  to  the  right  nor 
to  the  left.  At  this  instant  Hagen,  with 
swift  and  stealthy  motion,  took  away  the 
bow  and  sword,  and  grasping  the  spear, 
drove  it  with  all  his  strength  between  the 
hero's  shoulders  as  he  bent  over  the  water, 
into  the  very  spot  marked  by  the  little 
silk  cross,  so  that  his  warm  heart's  blood 
spurted  forth  and  crimsoned  the  murder- 
er's white  linen  shirt.  He  did  not  stop  to 
draw  out  the  spear,  but  ran — ran  as  never 
man  ran  before. 

Siegfried  bounded  to  his  feet  and 
reached  out  for  his  sword  or  bow,  but, 
finding  neither,  picked  up  his  shield  and 


Siegfried's  Death  103 

ran  in  pursuit  of  Hagen.  So  great  was 
his  strength  that,  hurt  to  death  as  he 
was,  he  reached  him,  and  closed  with  him, 
and  battered  him  with  the  shield  .till  it 
bent  and  nearly  broke  in  twain,  and  the 
precious  stones  with  which  it  was  studded 
started  out  of  their  settings  and  rolled  to 
the  ground. 

A  moment  more  and  Hagen  must  have 
fallen  under  the  shower  of  mighty  blows. 
But  the  wounded  man's  strength  suddenly 
gave  out :  his  cheek  and  lips  blanched,  he 
swayed  on  his  feet  and  sank  down  among 
the  wild  flowers,  and  they  were  dyed  red 
in  his  blood. 

"  Oh,  ye  cravens  ! " — he  spoke  with  voice 
still  strong  and  clear — "  is  this  the  reward 
for  all  my  love  and  service  ?  This  day's 
work  will  shame  many  yet  unborn,  and  as 
for  you,  the  living,  it  parts  you  from  the 
company  of  all  good  men  forever  ! " 

The  knights  crowded  around  him  where 
he  lay  ;  to  many  this  was  an  accursed  day. 
Whoever  knows  what  honour  is,  and  truth, 
has  wept  for  him. 

The  King  of  the  Burgundians  also  bent 


io4  Siegfried 

over  him,  and  began  to  wail  and  lament. 
But  the  dying  man  chid  him  bitterly  : 

"  Where  is  the  sense  of  the  doer  bewail- 
ing his  own  deed  ?  Better  have  left  it 
undone." 

Hagen  also  chid  the  King  in  his  own 
brutal  way  : 

"  I  know  not  what  you  should  regret. 

•  Let  us  rather  rejoice  that  we  are  rid  of 

his  excessive  might.     For  there  are  not 

many  left  now  who  could  stand  up  against 

us." 

The  dying  hero  heard,  and  once  again 
he  spoke  : 

"  You  may  well  boast,  as  things  have 
turned  out.  Had  I  but  suspected  the 
murderous  blackness  of  your  heart,  you 
should  have  little  to  boast  of.  Yet  noth- 
ing in  the  world  grieves  my  soul,  but  only 
the  thought  of  Kriemhilde,  my  wife.  She 
is  your  sister,  Gunther :  let  that  plead  for 
her.  And  if  you  are  still  capable  of  loy- 
alty to  any  human  being,  let  me  commend 
my  dearest  love  to  your  pity  and  favour." 

He  paused,  and  stirred  uneasily  in 
cruel  pain ;  then,  with  his  last  breath, 


Siegfried's  Death  1,05 

came,  low  and  broken,  the  prophetic 
words  : 

"  The  time  is  coming  when  you  shall 
rue  this  day's  work.  Believe  me,  I  speak 
the  truth ;  in  dealing  death  to  me,  ye 
have  dealt  it  to  yourselves." 

The  breath  had  fled,  and  still  the  flowers 
drank  the  flowing  blood. 

There  was  a  long  silence.  Then  they 
laid  him  on  his  golden  shield,  and  began 
to  consult  in  whispers  what  they  should 
say,  so  it  might  not  become  known  that 
Hagen  had  done  the  deed.  They  agreed 
upon  a  tale  of  Siegfried  having  ridden  off 
too  far  into  the  forest  alone,  and  having 
been  attacked  by  outlaws.  But  Hagen 
would  not  have  it  so. 

"  I  shall  take  him  home  myself,"  he 
said.  "  I  care  no  whit  if  she  hears  the 
truth,  she  who  could  so  cruelly  wound  our 
Queen's  feelings.  Whether  she  weeps  or 
not,  or  whatever  she  does,  matters  very 
little  to  me." 


XIV 

SIEGFRIED'S    FUNERAL 

THEY  waited  till  the  evening,  then 
turned  towards  home  and  recrossed 
the  Rhine.  Never  was  more  disastrous 
hunt.  For  the  game  that  was  slain  that 
day  many  a  woman's  tears  were  yet  to 
flow. 

Hagen  seemed  possessed  with  a  fiend 
of  wickedness  and  revenge.  He  had  the 
dead  hero  taken  quietly  to  the  palace  and 
laid  before  Kriemhilde's  own  door. 

By  daybreak  the  cathedral  bells  began 
to  ring,  and  Kriemhilde,  who  never  missed 
early  mass,  waked  her  maidens,  and  called 
for  a  light.  The  chamberlain  who  brought 
it  stumbled  against  the  body,  saw  the  red, 
blood-soaked  clothing,  and,  without  paus- 
ing to  look  who  it  was,  rushed  into  Kriem- 
hilde's presence,  crying : 
1 06 


Siegfried's  Funeral  107 

•  "  Lady,  stay  within  !  there  is  a  knight 
lying  dead  before  your  door." 

Her  heart  misgave  her  at  once.  In  a 
flash  she  thought  of  what  she  had  told 
Hagen,  and  she  knew  the  worst.  She 
sank  to  the  floor  without  a  word,  in  a 
faint ;  but  wheri  she  was  aroused,  she 
gave  a  cry  so  piercing,  it  was  heard  through 
the  palace. 

Her  attendants  kept  repeating,  "  It 
may  be  a  stranger." 

"  No,"  she  replied,  "  it  is  Siegfried,  my 
beloved  lord.  Brunhilde  planned  the 
deed,  and  Hagen  did  it." 

She  bade  them  take  her  where  the  hero 
lay.  She  raised  his  head  with  her  own 
white  hand. 

"  Oh,  woe  is  me  ! "  she  cried,  "  that  thou 
shouldst  fall,  not  in  the  noble  fray,  but  by 
a  vile  assassin's  hand  !  Let  me  but  know 
the  doer,  and  my  whole  life  shall  be  given 
to  avenge  thee." 

Loud  and  bitterly  the  Queen's  attend- 
ants wept  and  wailed  with  her.  But  she 
sent  some  to  call  Siegfried's  men,  and 
others  to  wake  King  Siegmund. 


io8  Siegfried 

The  aged  King  would  not  at  first  be- 
lieve the  tidings  and  chid  the  messengers 
for  making  sport  of  him.  They  bade  him 
listen,  and  he  would  hear  the  women's 
wailing.  Then,  trembling  and  dazed,  he 
hastened  to  Kriemhilde's  room,  followed 
by  all  the  Nibelungs.  He  took  his  dead 
son  in  his  arms,  and  cried  over  and  over 
again,  "  Oh  !  accursed  journey  !  accursed 
land  ! "  So  loud  was  the  wailing  of  this 
great  crowd,  that  not  only  the  palace  re- 
sounded with  it,  but  the  castle,  and  all 
Worms,  the  city  by  the  Rhine.  And  the 
warriors  from  Nibelung  swore  a  great 
oath :  to  avenge  him  at  any  time  or 
place.  Then  they  hurried  away  to  arm 
themselves  as  for  war. 

But  Kriemhilde  would  not  let  them  do 
anything  rash.  She  feared  they  all  might 
meet  death  at  the  hands  of  her  brothers' 
men.  She  rushed  about  among  the  naked, 
uplifted  swords,  begging  and  command- 
ing, reasoning  and  restraining.  At  last 
she  appealed  to  Siegmund's  authority. 

"  My  lord  King,"  she  said,  "  keep  them 
back  till  we  know  more.  My  husband 


Siegfried's  Funeral  109 

shall  be  avenged,  and  I  will  help  you. 
Only  let  me  have  proofs,  and  the  doer 
shall  get  his  deserts  some  time.  But  let 
me  advise  you  not  to  seek  a 'quarrel,  for 
the  people  here  by  the  Rhine  are  fierce 
and  violent,  and  there  would  be  thirty  of 
them  to  every  one  of  you.  Stay  here  in 
the  house  with  me,  and  help  me  mourn 
and  bury  my  dead ;  that  is  our  first  duty." 

Siegmund  and  the  warriors  answered : 
"  Dear  lady,  it  shall  be  as  you  will." 

All  that  day  noble  knights  'and  ladies, 
and  citizens  of  note,  came  pouring  to  the 
palace,  to  view  the  hero  on  his  bier.  All 
mourned  with  the  widow,  and  were  sin- 
cere in.  their  words  of  sorrow,  for  no  one 
had  ever  seen  Siegfried  but  did  love  him, 
and  no  one  could  think  what  the  city's 
favourite  had  done,  to  forfeit  his  life  at  the 
hands  of  his  nearest  and  dearest.  And 
many  a  plain  burgher's  good  wife  wept 
with  the  Queen  and  her  ladies. 

The  next  morning,  at  daybreak,  Kriem- 
hilde  had  her  dead  love  borne  to  the  min- 
ster, there  to  lie  in  state,  in  his  coffin 
of  gold  and  silver,  bound  with  strong 


no  Siegfried 

steel,  to  the  knell  of  all  the  bells  in  the 
city,  and  the  funeral  chanting  of  countless 
priests  and  monks  ;  when,  lo !  King  Gun- 
ther  joined  her  with  his  following.  Grim 
Hagen  too  was  with  him,  who  should,  for 
very  shame,  have  stayed  away. 

"  Dear  sister,"  began  the  King,  "  I  am 
sorely  grieved  at  thy  great  sorrow.  I 
would  give  much  could  this  be  undone. 
We  all  must  ever  mourn  Siegfried's 
death." 

"  You  have  no  cause,"  she  replied, 
coldly,  "  or  this  would  not  have  befallen. 
You  never  thought  of  me  when  you  took 
my  husband  from  me.  Would  you  had 
taken  me  instead  ! " 

Gunther  persisted  in  denying  that  he 
had  any  share  in  Siegfried's  death.  But 
Kriemhilde  spoke  aloud  so  as  to  be  heard 
by  all : 

"Those  who  protest  their  innocence 
may  prove  it  very  easily  :  only  let  them 
approach  the  bier,  here  before  the  people. 
The  truth  will  be  manifest  at  once." 

It  is  a  wonder  often  beheld  that  when 
the  slayer  approaches  him  whom  he  has 


Siegfried's  Funeral  in 

slain,  the  wounds  will  bleed  afresh.  And 
this  was  seen  by  all,  that  time  Hagen 
stood  by  the  bier  :  the  ruddy  blood  began 
to  flow  as  freely  as  when  the  wound  was 
made.  A  shout  of  horror  went  up  to  the 
minster's  roof.  But  Gunther  still  denied. 

"  Hear  me,"  he  cried  ; — "  hear  the  truth. 
He  was  killed  by  outlaws.  Hagen  never 
did  it." 

"  I  know  these  outlaws  well,"  she  re- 
plied ;  "  Gunther  and  Hagen,  you  it  was 
who  did  it — and  may  God  requite  you  as 
you  deserve ! " 

At  the  word,  Siegfried's  men  would 
have  rushed  on  the  Burgundians ;  but 
Kriemhilde  once  more  restrained  them. 
And  just  then  her  two  other  brothers 
came,  Gernot  and  young  Giselher ;  they 
grieved  from  their  hearts  for  the  dead  and 
for  their  sister,  and  she  received  their 
kindness  willingly,  for  she  did  not  suspect 
that  they  had  known  of  the  plot,  and  now, 
in  sooth,  they  were  sorrowful  enough  ;  the 
blinding  tears  stood  in  their  eyes.  They 
spoke  to  her  words  of  brotherly  comfort 
and  cheer. 


1 1 2  Siegfried 

But  comfort  nor  cheer  could  reach  the 
aching  heart.  Only,  when  the  funeral 
mass  was  sung,  and  the  lid  was  fastened 
on  the  coffin,  she  ordered  her  chamber- 
lains to  give  from  Siegfried's  store,  with 
full  hands,  to  all  that  came.  For  three 
days  they  gave  and  gave  ;  and  many  that 
came  poor — beggars,  widows,  orphans — 
went  home  rich  for  many  a  day  to  come. 
Monasteries,  too,  and  churches  were  lav- 
ishly remembered,  and  more  than  a  hun- 
dred masses  were  read  in  those  days  for 
the  departed  hero's  soul. 

On  the  third  morning,  not  only  the 
cathedral  but  the  vast  churchyard  around 
it  was  crowded  to  overflowing  with  sor- 
rowing men  and  weeping  women.  As 
men  lifted  the  coffin  to  carry  it  to  the 
grave,  the  loving,  faithful  wife  was  so 
overcome  that  she  fell  to  the  ground  as 
one  stricken  unto  death.  They  poured 
water  on  her  from  the  well,  but  so  long 
without  effect  that  many  wondered  that 
she  came  back  to  life  at  all ;  and  when  she 
did  at  last,  and  found  the  coffin  gone,  she 
rushed  to  the  grave  into  which  they  were 


Siegfried's  Funeral  113 

about  to  lower  it,  and  clung  to  it  and 
cried : 

"  Oh  ye,  my  Siegfried's  liegemen,  one 
boon  I  crave  of  your  merciful  hearts,  one 
little  boon  in  all  my  endless  misery  ;  let 
me  look  but  once  again,  for  one  brief  mo- 
ment, on  his  beautiful  face  !  " 

She  begged  so  long  and  movingly  that 
not  the  hardest  heart  could  have  with- 
stood her.  So  the  strongly  welded  coffin 
was  broken  open,  and  the  Queen  was  led 
to  it.  As  she  raised  the  comely  head  and 
kissed  the  brow  and  lips,  a  great  wonder 
was  seen  :  her  eyes  shed  tears  of  blood. 
A  miserable  parting !  She  was  borne 
thence,  a  fair,  unconscious  burden.  All 
that  day  and  night  she  passed  from  one 
fainting  fit  into  another,  and  nothing  that 
anybody  spoke  reached  her  dull  and  dead- 
ened senses,  nor  did  any  food  or  drink  so 
much  as  touch  her  lips. 


XV 

KRIEMHILDE'S    WIDOWHOOD 

OLD  King  Siegmund  was  very  ill ;  al- 
most as  broken  by  his  great  sorrow 
as  was  Kriemhilde  herself.  H  is  first  words, 
when  he  could  rouse  himself  to  think  and 
act,  were,  "  We  will  ride  home.  This  is 
no  place  for  us."  He  never  doubted  but 
that  Kriemhilde  would  go  with  him,  and 
such  was  at  first  her  intention.  But  her 
mother,  Queen  Ute,  and  her  favourite 
brother,  young  Giselher,  besought  her  not 
to  return  to  a  country  where,  Siegfried 
being  dead,  she  would  be  among  strangers. 
Gernot  came  and  also  begged  her  to  stay. 
They  promised  her  that  she  should  never 
be  forced  to  meet  Hagen  or  anyone  whom 
she  held  to  be  her  foe,  that  they  would 
care  for  her  and  make  good  her  loss  as 
far  as  they  could  by  their  loving  kindness. 
114 


Kriemhilde's  Widowhood     115 

So  when  King  Siegmund  came  to  her 
again  and  begged  her  to  make  haste,  as 
all  was  ready  and  he  was  loath  to  tarry  an- 
other hour  among  the  Burgundians,  she 
said,  sadly  but  firmly  : 

"  My  lord  King,  I  cannot  go  with  you. 
I  have  no  kindred  of  my  blood  in  your 
country,  while  here,  whatever  betide,  there 
are  at  least  a  few  who  will  help  me 
mourn." 

King  Siegmund  was  sorely  grieved  and 
tried  to  move  her  from  her  resolve. 

"  Not  so,"  he  said  ;  "  you  shall  wear 
the  crown  and  our  friends  will  hold  you 
in  as  high  honour  as  when  Siegfried  lived. 
And,  daughter,  think  of  your  son  :  would 
you  have  him  grow  up  an  orphan  with  a 
living  mother  ?  Return  to  him  ;  he  will 
comfort  you,  and  all  our  liegemen  shall 
serve  you  with  their  swords." 

But  she  was  not  to  be  moved. 

"  Go,"  she  said,  "  in  the  Lord's  good 
keeping.  You  shall  be  well  escorted.  As 
to  my  boy,  I  commend  him  to  your  care 
and  to  the  love  of  all  your  noble  friends." 

When  Siegfried's  Nibelungs  were  told 


u6  Siegfried 

that  they  would  have  to  return  without 
their  Queen,  they  raised  a  wail  as  for  an- 
other dead.  Both  they  and  Siegmund 
knew  it  was  a  parting  for  all  time,  and  as 
he  kissed  her  cheek,  the  tears  ran  down 
his  own.  But  she  was  stern  and  cold, 
and  seemed  glad  when  they  left  her  to 
herself  and  to  her  grief.  She  even  sent 
all  her  women  home.  But  among  Sieg- 
fried's friends  there  was  one  who  refused 
to  leave  her  :  it  was  Margrave  Eckewart. 
He  stayed,  with  his  own  men,  and  swore 
to  serve  her  unto  death. 

Young  Giselher  escorted  the  King  and 
his  men  all  the  way  to  the  Netherlands, 
then  returned  to  Worms — and  Kriemhilde 
always  said  that  no  one  ever  gave  her  any 
comfort  in  her  grief  save  only  her  boy 
brother,  he  was  so  good  and  true.  As 
to  Brunhilde,  what  did  she  care  whether 
Kriemhilde  wept  or  not  ?  She  lived  on  in 
her  arrogance,  never  thinking  that  her  day 
for  grieving  was  coming  on  too,  slowly 
but  surely. 

And  now  began  the  dreary  round  of 
Kriemhilde's  widowhood.  She  spent  a 


Kriemhilde's  Widowhood     117 

portion  of  each  day  alone  at  her  Sieg- 
fried's grave.  The  rest  of  the  time  she 
stayed  with  her  mother,  Queen  Ute,  and 
her  women,  but  scarcely  seemed  to  heed 
the  anxious  kindness  with  which  they 
waited  on  her,  or  to  hear  the  wise  and  lov- 
ing words  with  which  they  strove  to  com- 
fort her.  No  one  could  win  from  her  a 
smile,  hardly  a  word,  save  only  her  brother 
Giselher.  Four  years  went  by,  and  she 
had  not  spoken  once  to  Gunther  ;  nor  had 
she  once  met  Hagen,  her  bitterest  foe. 

Then  one  day  Hagen  spoke  to  the 
King: 

"If  you  could  make  friends  again  with 
your  sister,  we  might  bring  over  here  the 
treasure  of  the  Nibelungs.  It  would  pay 
you  to  do  a  little  coaxing." 

"  We  might  try,"  Gunther  agreed ; 
"  Gernot  and  Giselher  shall  speak  for  me." 

Gernot  was  the  first  to  try. 

"  Sister,"  he  said  to  Kriemhilde  the  next 
time  he  visited  her,  "  you  mourn  too  long 
for  Siegfried's  death.  The  King  would 
show  you  that  he  did  not  kill  him  if  you 
would  but  grant  him  a  hearing." 


n8  Siegfried 

"  Nobody  ever  said  he  did,"  she  replied. 
"  It  was  Hagen.  For  did  I  not  myself  make 
known  to  him  in  what  spot  Siegfried  could 
be  wounded  ?  Therefore  I  can  never  cease 
to  mourn,  nor  will  I  ever  meet  in  kindness 
those  who  did  or  knew  of  so  foul  a  thing." 

Then  Giselher  began  to  plead,  and  him 
she  had  not  the  heart  to  refuse. 

"  Very  well,"  she  said  ;  "  I  will  speak 
to  the  King,  since  you  insist.  But  you  do 
me  a  cruel  wrong.  Gunther  has  undone 
me,  his  own  sister,  who  never  did  him  any 
harm.  My  lips  may  speak  forgiveness, 
but  my  heart  knows  nothing  of  it." 

"  That  will  come  in  time,"  all  her  friends 
encouraged  her. 

The  moment  Gunther  heard  Giselher's 
report,  he  went  to  her  with  his  best  friends. 
Hagen  did  not  dare  to  present  himself. 

They  met.  They  spoke.  Kriemhilde 
even  was  persuaded  to  suffer  the  King  to 
kiss  her,  and  many  tears  were  shed.  She 
forgave  all,  except  only  the  one  man. 

Not  long  afterwards  they  got  her  con- 
sent to  bring  over  the  great  treasure  from 
the  land  of  the  Nibelungs.  It  was  Sieg- 


Kriemhilde's  Widowhood     119 

fried's  wedding  gift  to  her,  and  so  her  own 
dower  now,  to  do  with  as  she  would. 

Giselher  and  Gernot  went  for  the  hoard, 
with  eight  thousand  men  and  many  ships. 
They  took  Kriemhilde's  order  to  the 
keeper,  Alberich  the  Dwarf,  to  deliver  it 
up,  and  he  dared  not  refuse,  for  it  was 
her  right. 

It  took  twelve  large  hay-waggons  four 
days  and  nights  to  cart  the  treasure  from 
the  mountain  cave  to  the  ships,  mak- 
ing three  trips  a  day.  There  was  nothing 
but  gold  and  precious  stones,  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  heap  was  hidden  the  golden 
wishing-rod,  which  would  have  made  any- 
one who  knew  the  use  of  it  master  over 
the  whole  wide  earth  and  all  that  it  holds, 
and  every  man  on  it.  Many  Nibelungs 
went  as  escort  to  the  treasure,  for  land 
and  castles  and  men  are  all  subject  to 
whoever  owns  it. 

When  the  hoard  was  brought  to  Bur- 
gundy and  unshipped,  it  was  delivered 
over  to  Kriemhilde,  who  had  it  carted  to 
the  palace,  where  it  filled  many  chambers 
and  turrets,  of  which  she  took  the  keys. 


1 20  Siegfried 

And  yet,  had  the  great  treasure  been 
greater  a  thousandfold,  and  Siegfried 
could  have  been  called  back  to  life,  and 
the  choice  given  her,  she  would  never  so 
much  as  have  looked  at  it,  and  would 
have  gone  to  him  in  her  smock.  Never 
hero,  of  a  truth,  had  so  faithful  wife. 

As  it  was,  she  did  not  herself  greatly  care 
for  the  gold,  but  she  had  good  use  for 
it.  She  began  to  give.  She  gave  to  rich 
and  poor,  to  strangers  too  :  to  the  poor 
from  kindness,  and  for  the  good  of  her 
Siegfried's  soul ;  to  the  rich  because  she 
wanted  friends  devoted  to  herself,  and 
ready  to  work  her  will  in  due  time ;  that 
was  why  brave  but  needy  knights  from 
foreign  lands,  whom  her  bounty  drew  to 
Worms,  and  kept  there,  were  especially 
favoured.  She  was  quietly  making  a  fol- 
lowing for  herself. 

No  one  interfered  with  her  or  seemed 
to  notice  her  actions.  Hagen  alone  was 
ever  watching  her  suspiciously.  He  un- 
derstood her  better  than  any  of  the  others. 
He  knew  that  only  one  thing  could  have 
kept  her  in  Burgundy,  alone,  almost  a 


Kriemhilde's  Widowhood     121 

prisoner,  among  kinsmen  the  very  sight 
of  whom  must  be  hateful  to  her,  away 
from  her  own  child  and  the  land  where 
she  would  have  reigned,  a  queen,  among 
her  husband's  friends, — and  that  thing 
was  the  hope  and  purpose  of  revenge. 
Therefore,  he  distrusted  everything  she 
did  or  said,  no  matter  how  quiet  she  kept. 
And  now  he  tried  to  arouse  Gunther's 
suspicions  also. 

"  If  you  let  her  go  on  like  this  a  while 
longer,"  he  said  to  the  King,  "  she  will 
have  so  many  men  in  her  pay  that  we 
shall  be  in  her  power." 

"  Let  her  alone,"  Gunther  replied,  wea- 
rily ;  "  the  treasure  is  her  own.  What 
right  have  I  to  meddle  with  it  or  what 
she  does  with  it  ?  I  had  enough  to  do  to 
get  her  to  make  friends  with  me  ;  now  I 
am  not  going  to  pry  and  spy  on  her  and 
what  she  does  with  her  own." 

"  No  prudent  man  will  leave  such  wealth 
in  a  woman's  hands,"  Hagen  insisted.  "  If 
you  do  not  check  her  lavishness,  we  Bur- 
gundians  will  yet  suffer  from  it." 

"  I   have  sworn  an  oath,"  Gunther  de- 


122 


Siegfried 


clared,  "  never  again  to  do  her  any  harm, 
or  grieve  her  in  any  way,  and  I  will  keep 
it.  After  all,  she  is  my  sister." 

"  You  need  do  nothing,"  said  Hagen  ; 
"leave  it  all  to  me." 

He  knew  Gunther's  moral  cowardice, 
and  was  not  afraid  of  displeasing  him 
by  anything  he  did  by  himself.  So  he 
watched  his  chance  and  stole  the  keys ; 
then,  once  when  all  the  three  brothers  were 
absent  on  an  expedition,  he  had  the  whole 
treasure  carried  away  and  sunk  into  a  deep 
hole  at  the  bottom  of  the  Rhine.  Giselher 
had  once  said  in  a  moment  of  vexation  : 
"  I  wish  the  hoard  were  at  the  bottom 
of  the  Rhine.  Then  it  would  belong 
to  nobody  and  work  no  more  mischief  in 
the  world."  And  now  it  was  done ;  and 
Hagen  bound  those  who  helped  him  in 
the  work  by  a  strong  oath,  so  long  as 
any  of  them  lived  never  to  tell  of  the 
place. 

The  brothers  were  very  angry  when 
they  came  back ;  Gernot  and  Giselher 
really  and  truly,  and  Gunther  had  to  pre- 
tend he  was.  Everybody  at  the  court 


Kriemhilde's  Widowhood     123 

declared  it  was  an  outrage,  and  Hagen 
thought  it  best  to  keep  away  for  a  while, 
the  feeling  was  so  strong  against  him. 

Kriemhilde  bore  the  wrong  and  the  loss 
in  silence.  She  knew  complaints  would 
be  but  a  waste  of  breath.  She  lived  with 
her  mother,  even  more  quietly  than  before  ; 
and  when  thirteen  years  had  gone  by  after 
Siegfried's  death,  Queen  Ute  persuaded 
her  to  retire  with  her  to  a  rich  abbey  which 
she  had  founded  and  endowed,  and  where 
both  now  thought  to  end  their  days  in 
peace  and  godliness.  Only  Kriemhilde 
refused  to  be  separated  from  him  who  was 
her  beloved  husband  dead  as  he  had 
been  alive.  So  she  had  his  remains  re- 
moved, with  great  honour  and  solemn  cere- 
monies, to  Queen  Ute's  abbey,  whither 
she  would  have  followed  immediately  her- 
self, but  that  strange  tidings  came  from 
far  Eastern  lands. 


XVI 

KING  ETZEL'S  WOOING 

IT  was  about  that  time  that  Etzel,  the 
powerful  King  of  the  Huns,  lost  Queen 
Helke,  his  well-beloved  wife.  He  mourned 
her  as  was  seemly ;  then  his  friends  en- 
treated him  to  wed  again,  and  advised 
him  to  woo  the  proud  widow,  Kriemhilde 
of  Burgundy. 

"  How  could  that  be  ?  objected  the 
King ;  "  I  am  a  heathen,  and  she  is  a 
Christian !  She  will  never  hear  of  it. 
Only  a  miracle  can  bring  her  here." 

"Who  knows? "they  replied.  "Your 
fame  is  very  great ;  she  may  be  tempted 
by  that,  and  by  the  wealth  which  is  known 
to  be  yours.  You  should  try  your  luck 
with  her,  for  in  sooth  she  is  a  noble  lady, 
124 


King  Etzel's  Wooing        125 

and  should  wed  with  the  noblest  of  all 
kings." 

"  Is  there  anyone  among  you  all,"  asked 
Etzel,  "  who  knows  the  Rhine,  the  country 
and  the  people  ?  " 

Then  Rudiger,  the  brave  Margrave  of 
Bechlaren,  stepped  forward  and  stood  be- 
fore the  King : 

"  I  have  known  from  boyhood  the  three 
noble  kings,  Gunther  and  Gernot,  and 
Giselher,  the  youngest.  Their  name  is 
held  in  high  honour  and  so  was  that  of 
their  father  and  all  their  ancestors. 

"  Friend,"  King  Etzel  asked  again, 
"  now  tell  me  truly,  is  she  worthy  of  wear- 
ing my  crown  ?  Is  her  beauty  really  as 
great  as  it  is  said  to  be  ?  " 

"  In  beauty,"  Rudiger  replied,  "she  is 
fully  the  equal  of  my  late  lady,  Queen 
H  elke.  I  n  the  whole  wide  world  no  queen 
can  call  herself  fairer.  The  man  who  wins 
her  may  well  be  accounted  fortunate." 

"  Then,  Rudiger,"  cried  the  King,  "  woo 
and  win  her  for  me  if  thou  lovest  me ! 
Bring  her  here,  and  I  will  reward  you 
richly  from  my  own  treasure.  And  now 


126  Siegfried 

you  shall  take  of  horses,  and  splendid  gar- 
ments, and  coined  gold  as  much  as  will 
keep  you  and  your  comrades  in  plenty 
and  merry  living  on  the  long  journey  to 
the  Rhine." 

"  Not  so,"  Rudiger  replied  ;  "  it  would 
ill  befit  me  to  take  aught  from  your  royal 
store.  I  shall  gladly  go  as  your  messenger, 
but  at  my  own  cost.  I  am  well  able  to 
bear  it,  and  all  I  own  I  have  from  you." 

"  And  when  do  you  think  to  start  ?  " 
asked  the  King. 

Rudiger  reflected  : 

"  We  must  provide  ourselves  with  arms 
and  clothing ;  and  I  intend  to  take  with 
me  five  hundred  knights.  The  Burgun- 
dians  shall  confess  that  no  king  ever  yet 
sent  so  well  equipped  an  embassy  so  far 
from  his  own  land.  And  I  must  see  my 
dear  wife,  Gotelinde,  and  order  my  house- 
hold. In  twenty-four  days  we  shall  be 
ready  to  start." 

And  so  it  came  to  pass  that  just  as 
Kriemhilde  was  making  ready  to  join  her 
mother  in  the  abbey,  Rudiger  stood  before 
her  brother  Gunther  and  asked  for  her 


King  Etzel's  Wooing        127 

hand  in  the  name  of  his  famous  master, 
Etzel,  King  of  the  Huns. 

He  had  been  well  pleased  with  his  re- 
ception so  far,  had  met  several  old  friends, 
of  the  times  when  they  were  all  young 
together,  and  found  right  willing  ears  when 
he  delivered  his  message.  Gunther  at 
once  replied  : 

"If  my  word  has  any  weight  with  her, 
she  shall  not  say  your  master  nay.  I  will 
let  you  know  in  three  days  from  now." 

When  Rudiger  and  his  companions  had 
been  taken  to  comfortable  quarters  and 
provided  for  with  hospitable  care,  the 
princes  held  a  secret  council  with  their 
most  trusted  friends.  All,  to  a  man, 
thought  it  would  be  a  good  thing  that 
Kriemhilde  should  wed  King  Etzel.  Ha- 
gen  alone  thought  differently. 

"If  you  are  wise,"  he  said  to  Gunther, 
"you  will  take  care  what  you  do,  and  even 
if  she  should  want  to  go,  you  will  not  let 
her." 

"  Why  should  I  not  ?  "  the  King  asked 
wonderingly.  "  Whatever  may  betide  the 
Queen  that  is  for  her  good,  I  shall  be  only 


128  Siegfried 

too  glad  :  she  is  my  own  sister,  and  it  is 
for  us  to  look  after  and  care  for  her." 

"  You  speak  but  foolishly,"  Hagen  still 
persisted ;  "  if  you  knew  Etzel  and  his 
power  as  I  do,  you  would  not  let  her 
make  a  friend  of  him,  lest  you  be  the  first 
to  rue  it." 

"  I  cannot  see  that,"  replied  the  King  ; 
"  it  lies  with  me  never  to  go  near  him, 
and  then  he  cannot  injure  me,  were  he 
ten  times  her  husband." 

But  Hagen  still  repeated,  '"  It  is  un- 
wise." Gernot  and  Giselher  were  very 
wroth  with  him  for  his  ill-natured  stub- 
bornness, and  rebuked  him  with  bitter 
words. 

"  Truly,"  they  said  to  him,  "  you  have 
done  her  such  grievous  wrong,  it  is  but 
what  you  deserve,  if  she  hates  you.  And 
if  you  had  a  spark  of  conscience,  you 
would  not  grudge  her  a  little  late  happi- 
ness." 

Hagen  saw  that  he  was  entirely  alone 
of  his  opinion.  But  he  had  the  last  word  : 

"  I  do  not  deny  it.  But  I  will  say  to 
the  last  that  if  the  noble  Kriemhilde 


King  Etzel's  Wooing        129 

wears  Helke's  crown,  she  will  do  us  hurt 
and  harm  wherever  she  can.  And  it  be- 
hoves you,  her  brothers,  to  have  a  care." 

After  this,  he  spoke  no  more,  but  sat 
by,  sullen  and  gloomy  ;  and  it  was  re- 
solved that  Kriemhilde  should  be  told  of 
King  Etzel's  offer  and  advised  to  accept  it. 

Yet,  and  though  all  were  against  Ha- 
gen,  things  very  nearly  shaped  themselves 
to  please  him.  For  Kriemhilde  would 
not  hear  of  wooing  or  wedding,  and 
at  first  was  inclined  to  look  on  her  broth- 
ers' urging  as  a  mockery.  At  last  she 
consented  to  receive  Rudiger  and  not  to 
insult  so  great  a  king  as  Etzel  by  sending 
back  his  messenger  unheard. 

"  Send  him  to  me  to-morrow  morning," 
she  said,  "  and  I  will  give  him  my  answer 
myself.  I  think  highly  of  Margrave 
Rudiger.  Had  it  been  any  other  mes- 
senger, he  should  never  have  had  speech 
of  me." 

And  so  next  morning  she  received  him 
and  the  eleven  knights  who  came  with 
him  with  great  friendliness  and  courtesy. 
But  she  wore  her  everyday  dress,  without 


130  Siegfried 

an  ornament,  although  her  women  were 
arrayed  in  their  best,  to  do  the  envoy 
honour.  She  heard  him  out  patiently, 
but  her  answer  was  ready  : 

"  Margrave  Rudiger,  if  any  man  living 
could  measure  the  sorrow  which  I  bear 
ever  within  my  heart,  he  would  not  ad- 
vise me  to  wed  another  man.  I  lost  the 
best  husband  woman  ever  had." 

"  And  what  greater  comforter  can  we 
have  in  sorrow,"  the  wily  envoy  retorted, 
"  than  friendship  and  sweet  love  ?  And  if 
you  deign  to  accept  my  noble  master's 
love,  know  that  twelve  wealthy  crowns 
will  be  yours,  and  for  your  dower  he  will 
give  you  the  lands  of  thirty  princes  whom 
his  mighty  hand  has  conquered.  And  you 
shall  rule  over  many  a  worthy  knight  and 
many  a  fair  maiden  of  princely  race,  who 
were  Queen  Helke's  own  attendants,  and 
all  King  Etzel's  subjects  shall  be  yours, 
and  power  imperial,  unlimited, — this  he 
bade  me  tell  you." 

Kriemhilde  grew  thoughtful  as  she  list- 
ened, then  spoke  with  noble  dignity  : 

"  Enough.      Press  me  no  more  to-day. 


King  Etzel's  Wooing        131 

Return  to-morrow  morning,  and  I  will 
give  you  my  final  answer." 

She  sent  for  her  mother  and  for  her 
favourite  brother,  Giselher.  She  listened 
to  their  reasons,  then  dismissed  them 
without  a  decisive  word,  and  spent  the 
night  alone,  in  doubt  and  tearful  prayer. 
Early  in  the  morning,  before  mass,  her 
brothers  visited  her,  all  three,  and  took 
her  by  the  hand  and  lovingly  entreated  her. 
Then  the  Huns  were  once  more  intro- 
duced. They  entered,  grave  and  some- 
what stern,  for  they  had  come  to  take 
their  leave  unless  she  changed  her  mind. 

Rudiger,  with  courtly  words,  besought 
the  Queen  to  declare  what  answer  he 
should  take  to  King  Etzel  and  his  people. 
The  answer  came,  low  but  clear  : 

"  I  never  again  can  love  or  wed." 

From  this  no  words  or  entreaties  could 
move  her.  Then  Rudiger  craved  a  secret 
audience  of  the  Queen.  They  stood  apart 
where  none  could  hear  the  low-breathed 
words  : 

"  Cease  from  weeping.  Had  you  no  one 
in  the  land  of  the  Huns  but  myself  alone, 


132  Siegfried 

my  vassals  and  my  friends,  we  should  make 
anyone  pay  dear  who  ever  had  offended 
you." 

She  looked  up  at  that,  and  there  was 
life  in  her  eye. 

"  Will  you  swear  to  me,  Rudiger,"  she 
said,  "  that  whoever  may  do  me  a  wrong 
you  will  be  the  first  to  avenge  me  ?  " 

"  That  will  I,"  he  answered  readily,  and 
swore  the  oath  and  gave  his  hand  on  it. 
She,  meanwhile,  was  thinking  in  her  heart. 
"  If  I  can  win  so  many  devoted  friends,  I 
do  not  care  what  people  may  think  of  my 
wedding  again,  for  then  I  can  hope  at  last 
to  avenge  my  Siegfried's  death.  If  Etzel 
has  so  many  liegemen,  and  I  am  given 
power  over  them,  then  I  can  do  anything 
I  please.  And  he  has  treasure  enough. 
I  can  give  without  stint."  She  made  a 
last  objection  : 

"  Had  I  not  been  informed  that  he  is  a 
heathen,  I  might  possibly  think  of  accept- 
ing King  Etzel's  offer." 

"  He  is  not  quite  a  heathen,"  Rudiger 
quickly  replied  ;  "  he  has  been  baptised — 
you  may  believe  my  word — but  he  relapsed 


King  Etzel's  Wooing        133 

into  paganism.  He  has  as  many  Christian 
as  heathen  subjects,  and  if  he  had  a  Christ- 
ian wife,  who  knows  but  she  might  incline 
his  heart  again  to  God." 

They  returned  to  where  her  brothers 
stood  and  all  three  urged  her  again  and 
again,  till  she  sorrowfully  gave  her  consent 
and  held  out  her  hand  to  Rudiger. 

The  Margrave  was  so  delighted,  he 
would  have  liked  to  carry  her  away  that 
very  day,  and  would  scarcely  allow  her 
time  for  her  preparations  and  farewells. 
As  she  was  herself  anxious  to  go,  now  she 
had  made  up  her  mind,  it  took  her  less  than 
a  week  to  get  herself  and  her  attendants 
ready.  The  faithful  Margrave  Eckewart 
declared  that  he  would  follow  her  with 
his  five  hundred  men,  so  she  should  not 
come  to  the  land  of  the  Huns  without 
a  royal  retinue.  He  had  sworn  to  her 
allegiance  until  death,  he  said,  and  only 
death  should  part  them.  A  hundred  fair 
maidens  of  noble  birth  were  chosen  to 
attend  her,  and  the  loading  of  the  pack- 
horses  had  already  begun,  when  Hagen, 
with  unmannerly  insolence,  forbade  Kriem* 


134  Siegfried 

Hilda's  people  to  take  away  her  treasure. 
It  was  a  portion  of  the  Nibelung  hoard 
which  she  had  kept  in  her  own  apartments, 
and  therefore  he  had  been  unable  to  lay 
his  hands  on  it.  Though  but  a  small 
remnant  of  the  whole,  there  was  still 
enough  to  load  sixty  mules. 

"  Kriemhilde,"  he  said,  "  will  never  for- 
give me,  and  I  were  a  fool  to  leave  such 
wealth  in  my  mortal  foe's  hands.  I  know 
well  enough  what  she  would  do  with  it ; 
she  would  use  it  all  to  hire  men  against 
me.  I  will  take  care  of  it — you  may  tell 
her  so  from  me." 

The  Queen  was  angered  beyond  words, 
and  her  brothers  were  indignant.  They 
would  have  interfered,  but  Rudiger  would 
not  let  them. 

"Most  royal  lady,"  he  said  to  Kriemhilde, 
"  would  you  shed  tears  for  the  bit  of  gold  ? 
Let  King  Etzel  but  lay  eyes  on  you,  and 
he  will  pour  such  wealth  into  your  lap  that 
you  could  never  spend  it.  Were  all  the 
treasure  still  yours  that  ever  was  brought 
from  Nibelung,  neither  your  hand  nor  mine 
should  touch  it.  Of  mine  own  store  I 


King  Etzel's  Wooing        135 

brought  so  much  from  home,  that  we  have 
more  than  enough  for  twice  the  journey." 

The  parting  was  not  without  many  tears. 
Mother  and  daughter  well  knew  that  they 
were  seeing  the  last  of  each  other  ;  but  her 
sorest  grief  was  parting  from  her  favourite 
brother,  Giselher.  Nor  did  she  refuse  a 
sisterly  kiss  to  Gunther  and  Gernot,  and 
when  at  last  the  well-mounted  troop 
wended  its  way  eastward  toward  the 
River  Danube,  there  remained  behind 
many  a  heavy  heart  and  many  a  tearful 
eye.  But  Gernot  and  Giselher  insisted 
on  escorting  her  part  of  the  way  with  one 
thousand  of  their  bravest  knights.  Nor 
did  they  take  leave  of  her  until  they  stood 
on  the  very  bank  of  the  Danube,  which 
parts  the  German  lands  from  those  of  the 
Huns.  She  clung  pitifully  to  her  brother 
Giselher,  as  he  whispered  to  her  :  "  Sister 
mine,  should  you  ever  have  need  of  me,  or 
should  any  danger  threaten  you,  send  me 
word,  and  I  will  ride  forthwith  to  help 
you,  straight  to  King  Etzel's  land." 

Then  the  Burgundians  rode  away,  back 
to  the  Rhine. 


XVII 

IN  HUNLAND 

FOR  thirteen  years  Kriemhilde  had  been 
Queen  of  the  Huns.  Never  had 
King  Etzel  loved  Queen  Helke  as  he  now 
loved  his  wife  from  Burgundy.  Her 
power  over  him  was  unlimited.  And  when 
a  son  was  born  to  them,  she  found  no  dif- 
ficulty in  getting  the  delighted  father's 
consent  to  have  the  child  baptised  and 
brought  up  a  Christian.  She  was  not  less 
beloved  by  the  country  at  large  ;  the 
Huns  all  declared  they  never  had  had  so 
kind  and  gracious  a  queen.  For  she  was 
gracious  by  nature,  and  had  made  it  her 
special  object  to  win  her  new  people's 
love.  She  appeared  to  be  happy  and, 
contented,  and  no  one  suspected  that  her 
whole  heart  lived  in  the  past  with  the 

136 


In  Hunland  137 

dead,  that  life  in  the  strange  land  was 
hateful  to  her,  that  her  only  thought  and 
hope,  morning,  noon,  and  night,  was  that 
of  revenge.  She  was  homesick  and  longed 
to  see  her  brothers  again,  Gernot,  and 
especially  Giselher,  and  her  old  true 
friends,  but  she  had  not  forgiven  Gunther 
even  though  she  had  given  him  the  kiss 
of  peace,  and  as  for  Hagen,  she  could 
scarcely  wait  until  she  should  have  him  in 
her  power.  She  was  sick  with  her  long- 
deferred  hope  and  craving,  but  waited 
patiently  and  made  no  move,  until  she  felt 
herself  so  firmly  anchored  in  the  love  of 
her  husband  and  people  that  she  could 
carry  through  anything  she  set  her  mind 
to.  Thirteen  years  she  waited  ;  then  she 
felt  that  her  time  had  come.  And  so  one 
evening,  when  King  Etzel  had  been  par- 
ticularly good-natured  and  affectionate, 
Kriemhilde  spoke  at  last  of  what  had 
never  been  out  of  her  mind  : 

"  My  loving  lord,  if  I  have  found  favour 
in  your  eyes,  I  would  this  day  ask  you  for 
a  token.  It  grieves  me  that  none  of  my 
people  have  visited  me  in  this  long  time. 


138  Siegfried 

Your  people  here  must  think  I  have  no 
friends." 

King  Etzel  answered  as  she  knew  he 
would  : 

"  Sweet  wife,  if  it  is  not  too  long  a 
journey  for  them,  I  would  willingly  ask 
them  all  here,  as  many  as  you  would  like 
to  see.  You  will  not  be  more  glad  to  see 
them  than  I  shall.  I  have  sorrowed  more 
than  once  that  they  should  keep  aloof 
from  us." 

Two  messengers,  with  a  sufficient  es- 
cort, were  quickly  equipped.  The  King 
himself  gave  them  their  instructions,  to 
which  the  Queen  privately  added  some  of 
her  own.  They  were  never  to  betray  to 
anyone  at  her  old  home  that  she  had  ever 
been  seen  sad  or  thoughtful ;  they  were  to 
let  her  mother,  Queen  Ute,  know  how 
highly  she  was  honoured  among  the 
Huns ;  her  brother  Giselher  they  were 
to  tell  that  her  eyes  ached  for  a  sight  of 
him  ;  and  they  were  especially  to  see  that 
Hagen  did  not  stay  behind,  because,  she 
explained,  he  alone  among  the  Burgund- 
ians  knew  all  the  roads  to  Hunland  and 


In  Hunland       ,         139 

was  familiar  with  the  country.  Gifts  and 
greetings  there  were  for  all,  even  for 
Brunhilde. 

Great  was  the  wonder  and  turmoil  in 
Burgundy  as  King  Etzel's  envoys  rode 
through  the  land.  The  rumour  of  their 
coming  reached  Worms  much  before  them 
and  the  royal  family  was  anxious  to  learn 
what  they  brought.  The  invitation  was 
a  great  surprise  to  all.  The  brothers  were 
delighted  to  hear  from  their  sister;  but 
the  question  was  a  weighty  one,  and  King 
Gunther  asked  his  friends'  opinion  singly, 
one  by  one.  Each  advised  him  and  his 
brothers  to  go,  until  Hagen's  turn  came 
to  speak,  which  he  did,  angrily  and 
roughly : 

"  Have  you  all  taken  leave  of  your 
senses  ?  Have  you  forgotten  what  we 
once  did  to  her?  It  behoves  us  to  be- 
ware of  Kriemhilde  as  long  as  we  live. 
I  slew  her  husband  with  this  right  hand 
of  mine — how  then  can  we  go  of  our 
own  free  will  to  King  Etzel's  land  and  put 
ourselves  in  her  power  ? " 

41  Speak  for  yourself,"  retorted  the  King ; 


140  Siegfried 

"  my  sister  is  at  peace  with  us  ;  in  the  lov- 
ing kiss  she  gave  us  at  parting  all  malice 
was  forgotten.  How  you,  Hagen,  stand 
with  her,  you  know  best." 

"  Do  not  deceive  yourselves,"  Hagen 
warned  again,  "whatever  these  Huns 
may  say.  If  you  trust  yourselves  to 
Kriemhilde,  you  will  rue  it.  She.  knows 
how  to  nurse  a  grudge,  King  Etzel's  noble 
wife ! " 

"  You  may  have  good  cause  to  fear  for 
your  own  life  among  the  Huns,"  Gernot 
tauntingly  put  in  his  word  ;  "but  that  is 
no  reason  why  we  should  shun  our  sister." 

"  And  since  you  feel  so  guilty,  friend 
Hagen,"  Giselher  chimed  in,  "  you  had  bet- 
ter stay  at  home.  Only  those  who  feel 
safe  need  go  to  Hunland." 

"You  know  that  fear  will  never  keep 
me  at  home,"  growled  Hagen,  angrily. 
"If  you  will  not  be  advised,  I  will  show 
you  whether  I  am  afraid." 

Others  now  began  to  speak  in  the  same 
sense  as  Hagen  ;  some  of  the  best  men 
roundly  refused  to  go  ;  Hagen's  nephew, 
Ortewein  of  Metz,  was  of  the  number. 


In  Hunland  141 

But  all  this  only  made  Gunther  more  de- 
termined, until  Hagen  yielded  so  far  as  to 
say: 

"  Let  not  my  words  trouble  you.  Go 
if  you  must.  But  let  me  give  you  this 
one  advice,  out  of  my  duty  to  you  :  go 
well  prepared." 

"  That  we  will  !•"  cried  Gunther  cheer- 
ily, and  forthwith  sent  out  a  call  for  three 
thousand  men,  all  picked  and  proven 
warriors. 

Hagen  and  his  brother  Dankwart 
brought  a  thousand  of  their  own  men  ; 
Folker,  the  noble  minstrel-knight,  also 
came  not  unattended.  But  Marshal  Orte- 
wein,  Hagen's  nephew,  and  several  others, 
absolutely  refused  to  go.  They  mis- 
trusted Kriemhilde  ;  and  as  it  was  nec- 
essary that  some  should  stay  to  take  care 
of  the  country  and  to  look  after  Gunther's 
Queen  and  children,  they  were  allowed  to 
have  their  way. 

All  this  time,  Etzel's  messengers  were 
detained,  under  one  pretence  or  another, 
much  against  their  will.  But  Hagen 
would  not  give  them  more  than  seven 


142  Siegfried 

days'  start,  that  Kriemhilde  might  not 
have  time  for  much  dangerous  preparation. 
At  last  they  were  allowed  to  pay  their 
respects  to  the  aged  Queen-mother,  after 
which  they  were  escorted  with  due  hon- 
our to  the  frontier  of  Burgundy  and  some 
way  beyond.  Brunhilde  would  not  see 
them,  excusing  herself  with  ill  health. 

When  Kriemhilde  was  told  of  the  mes- 
sengers' return,  she  sent  for  them  at  once, 
and  after  generously  rewarding  them  for 
their  trouble  and  good  news,  she  asked 
the  names  of  those  who  were  coming  with 
her  brothers,  and  was  especially  curious  to 
know  what  Hagen  had  said. 

"  Not  much  that  was  pleasant,"  was  the 
answer  ;  "  when  they  decided  to  undertake 
the  journey,  he  told  them  they  were  going 
to  their  death." 

Kriemhilde  sought  the  King  and  spoke 
to  him  with  joyful  face  and  smiling  lip  : 

"  Is  my  dear  lord  pleased  at  my  news  ? 
The  only  wish  I  had  is  now  about  to  be 
fulfilled." 

"Thy  will  is  my  pleasure,"  the  King 
replied  affectionately ;  "  I  would  not  so 


In  Hunland  143 

rejoice  in  my  heart  if  they  were  my  own 
best  friends  who  came  to  visit  us." 

He  hastened  to  give  orders  that  every- 
thing should  be  made  ready  for  the  guests' 
honourable  reception  and  greatest  com- 
fort. Little  he  knew  that  their  coming 
was  to  be  the  end  of  all  his  joys  on  earth. 


XVIII 
THE  JOURNEY 

JUST  as  the  Burgundians  were  about 
to  start,  something  happened  which 
rather  damped  their  spirits.  Ute,  the 
aged  Queen-mother,  who  had  all  the  time 
been  anxious  that  her  sons  should  visit 
their  sister,  suddenly  begged  them  to 
change  their  minds  on  the  very  morning 
appointed  for  their  departure. 

"It  were  best  after  all  you  stayed  at 
home,"  she  said  to  them.  "  I  had  a  dream 
last  night  that  bodes  no  good.  I  thought 
all  the  birds  in  Burgundy  were  killed." 

They  were  rather  shaken  at  that.  But 
Hagen  was  not  going  to  let  them  stay, 
now  they  were  all  ready  to  go,  on  account 
of  an  old  woman's  dream,  after  they  had 
made  light  of  his  sensible  objections.  He 
144 


The  Journey  145 

laughed  at  them  and  held  them  to  their 
word.  And  sorry  enough  he  was  for  it 
afterwards. 

The  journey  went  on  smoothly  and 
merrily  as  far  as  the  River  Danube.  They 
found  it  swollen,  angry,  and  overflowing 
its  banks — and  no  ferry  in  sight.  Hagen 
started  to  explore  the  country  and  see  if 
he  could  not  find  one.  As  he  rode  about 
rather  aimlessly,  he  came  on  two  maidens 
bathing  in  a  quiet  creek.  He  stole  up  to 
where  their  clothes  lay  on  the  bank  and 
hid  them,  for  pure  mischief,  while  they 
swam  quickly  away. 

They  were  water-maidens,  wise  in  secret 
lore.  They  stopped  at  a  distance  from 
the  bank  and  one  of  them  spoke  : 

"  Hagen,  noble  knight,  if  you  will  re- 
turn our  clothes,  we  will  tell  you  how  you 
will  fare  on  this  your  journey  to  the 
Huns." 

This  was  just  what  he  wanted  most  to 
know,  so  he  promised. 

"You  may  ride  on  nothing  daunted," 
the  same  water-maiden  then  said  ;  "  never 
did  heroes  ride  to  greater  honours  than 


146  Siegfried 

await  you  in  King  Etzel's  land,  of  that 
rest  assured." 

Nothing  could  have  pleased  him  better, 
so  he  at  once  brought  back  the  clothes. 
Then  the  other  water-maiden  spoke  : 

"  Hear  my  warning,  Hagen.  My  sister 
spoke  only  half  the  truth.  Turn  back 
while  there  is  yet  time,  for  death  awaits 
you  all  in  Etzel's  land." 

"  These  are  but  idle  threats,"  Hagen 
retorted.  "  What  can  happen  to  us  in  a 
friendly  country,  whither  we  go  as  invited 
guests  ?  " 

"And  yet  it  is  as  I  say,"  replied  the 
water-maiden  ;  "  not  one  of  you  will  see 
his  home  again,  except  only  the  King's 
chaplain,  we  know  for  certain.  He  will 
return  safe  and  sound  to  King  Gunther's 
land  ;  he,  and  no  one  else." 

With  this  the  maidens  left  him,  sore 
perplexed.  He  rode  on  and  came  to  a 
ferry,  but  the  ferryman  refused  to  take 
the  men  across,  although  Hagen  promised 
him  a  generous  reward,  and  offered  him  a 
rich  golden  shoulder-clasp  as  a  free  gift. 
The  man  said  he  would  not  take  strangers, 


The  Journey  147 

who  might  turn  out  to  be  foes  and  invade 
his  liege  lord's  lands,  saying  which  he 
seized  his  heavy  oar,  long  and  broad,  and 
hit  Hagen  a  blow  which  brought  him  to 
his  knees.  The  next  moment  the  ferry- 
man's head  flew  into  the  river.  Then 
Hagen  fastened  a  long  strap  to  the  boat 
and  towed  it  to  where  his  friends  were  en- 
camped, waiting  for  him.  He  himself 
took  them  across  in  small  parties,  the 
horses  swimming  alongside.  Not  one  was 
lost,  either  man  or  horse. 

With  the  last  party  the  King's  chaplain 
was  preparing  to  cross  ;  he  stood  ready, 
clasping  the  Sacrament.  The  moment 
Hagen's  eye  fell  on  the  priest,  he  attacked 
him  furiously,  like  one  suddenly  gone  mad  : 
"  Hold  on,  Hagen,  stop ! "  a  hundred 
voices  shouted  at  him,  but  he  stayed  not 
his  hand  until  he  had  forced  the  priest 
overboard  into  the  river. 

"  What  makes  you  want  to  kill  the 
chaplain?"  cried  Gernot  angrily.  "Were 
it  anybody  but  yourself,  he  should  rue  it. 
What  has  the  man  done  to  you  that  you 
should  treat  him  so  ?  " 


148  Siegfried 

Hagen  answered  never  a  word,  but, 
kept  furiously  hammering  at  the  priest 
with  an  oar,  until  the  poor  man,  swim- 
ming with  all  his  might,  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  bank,  which  he  climbed,  then 
sank  down  exhausted.  As  he  rose  to  his 
feet,  shaking  the  water  from  his  robe, 
Hagen  saw  that  the  water-maiden  had 
spoken  the  truth,  and  muttered,  "  We  are 
lost ! " 

When  all  the  men  and  all  the  luggage 
had  been  carried  safely  to  the  other  side, 
he  began,  still  silently,  to  hack  the  boat  in 
pieces  and  to  throw  the  pieces  into  the 
river. 

"  Why,  brother,  what  are  you  doing  ?  " 
cried  Dankwart ;  "  were  it  not  better  to 
conceal  the  boat,  so  we  can  use  it  again 
on  the  homeward  journey  ?" 

"  There  will  be  no  homeward  journey," 
Hagen  replied,  gloomily  ;  "  and  if  there 
is  any  coward  among  us,  who  would  fain 
save  his  skin,  he  shall  lose  his  life  at  my 
hands  right  here,  by  this  river." 

The  chaplain  who  had  been  looking  on 
from  the  opposite  bank,  now  spoke  in  loud 


The  Journey  149 

and  threatening  tones,  before  he  turned 
to  start  on  his  way  home. 

"  You  caitiff  !  you  dastardly  murderer  !" 
he  shouted  across  the  water.  "  What  had 
I  done  to  you  that  you  should  want  to 
drown  me,  a  poor  harmless  priest  ?  Go ! 
go  your  way  to  the  Huns !  I  will  hie  me 
back  to  the  Rhine — which  may  you  never 
see  again  !  that  is  my  hearty  prayer." 

So  the  Burgundians  started  on  their 
further  journey  laden  with  the  good  man's 
curse. 

They  had  fared  well  so  far,  and  even 
now  nothing  of  note  happened  to  them, 
except  a  skirmish  with  the  lord  of  the 
country  through  which  they  rode.  He 
heard  of  the  ferryman's  death  and,  think- 
ing that  enemies  had  come  to  take  his 
land  from  him,  he  rode  after  them  in 
pursuit  with  some  troops,  but  was  slain 
in  the  fight  which  followed,  and  his  men 
dispersed.  No  one  molested  the  Burgun- 
dians after  that  and  they  arrived  safe  and 
sound  at  the  boundary  of  Rudiger's  mar- 
graviate  of  Bechlaren.  Here  they  found, 
on  guard,  Siegfried's  old  and  trusted  friend, 


150  Siegfried 

Margrave  Eckewart,  who  had  followed 
Kriemhilde  into  the  land  of  the  Huns. 
From  him  they  had  their  first  warning. 

"  Alas,  but  I  am  sorely  grieved  to  see 
you  here,"  he  said,  after  the  first  greet- 
ings ;  "you  best  know,  Hagen,  what  you 
have  done,  and  what  welcome  you  may 
look  for  here  in  the  land  of  the  Huns. 
Keep  good  watch — that  is  the  best  advice 
I  can  give  you  now  that  you  are  here. 
But  come ;  yourselves  and  your  horses 
must  be  spent  with  the  long  journey  and 
you  cannot  have  many  provisions  left. 
Come  then ;  I  will  take  you  to  a  host,  the 
most  hospitable  you  have  met  in  any 
country.  His  heart  bears  kindness  as 
the  lovely  month  of  May  bears  grass  and 
flowers.  I  will  take  you  to  my  friend 
Rudiger." 

The  good  Margrave  had  not  forgotten 
the  friendly  reception  which  he  had  met 
with  at  the  Court  of  Burgundy  when  he 
came  thither  to  woo  Kriemhilde  for  his 
royal  master.  And  now  he  could  not  do 
enough  for  his  guests,  on  whom  he  pre- 
vailed to  remain  several  days  at  his  castle, 


The  Journey  151 

until  all  trace  of  fatigue  should  be  gone, 
so  they  should  present  themselves  before 
King  Etzel  well  rested  and  in  perfect 
trim.  Their  followers  were  requested  to 
make  themselves  at  home  on  a  vast  field 
near  by,  where  hundreds  of.  tents  were 
erected  for  their  comfort,  and  all  their 
needs  were  amply  provided  for.  Rudiger 
himself,  his  wife,  and  his  young  daughter 
devoted  all  their  time  to  the  royal  brothers 
and  their  immediate  friends,  with  whom 
they  exchanged  kindnesses  and  costly 
gifts,  so  that  a  very  close  friendship  had 
grown  up  between  host  and  guests — and 
indeed,  Giselher  and  Rudiger's  lovely 
daughter  had  become  engaged  lovers, 
when  he  at  last  announced  that  he  had 
sent  off  messengers  to  inform  King  Etzel 
of  their  arrival  and  that  it  might  be  con- 
sidered rude  if  they  tarried  any  longer. 


XIX 

THE  ARRIVAL 

BEFORE  they  reached  the  royal  resi- 
dence, the  Burgundians  had  one 
more  serious  warning.  Dietrich,  King  of 
Bern,  one  of  the  most  famous  heroes  of 
the  age,  was  at  this  time  paying  a  visit  to 
the  King  of  the  Huns,  who  requested  him, 
in  order  to  do  them  the  greater  honour, 
to  go  himself  to  meet  them,  with  a  chosen 
body  of  troops.  He  consented  the  more 
willingly  that  he  wished  to  caution  them, 
and  this  was  the  best  chance. 

The  Burgundians,  seeing  him  approach 
and  being  told  who  he  was,  dismounted 
to  receive  him,  and  so  did  he. 

"Welcome  !"  he  cried,  shaking  each  by 
the  hand  as  he  named  him  :  "  welcome, 
royal  Gunther,  likewise  Gernot,  Giselher, 
152 


The  Arrival  153 

and  Hagen,  and  you,  my  lords  Folker 
and  Dankwart  !  But  are  you  not  aware 
that  Kriemhilde  has  never,  to  this  day, 
ceased  to  weep  and  mourn  for  the  hero  of 
the  Nibelungs?  Let  me  bid  you  be- 
ware ! " 

"  Let  her,"  replied  Hagen,  carelessly ; 
"  he  has  been  dead  these  many  years,  and 
will  stay  so.  She  had  better  think  more 
of  the  King  of  the  Huns." 

"What  should  I  beware  of?"  Gunther 
joined  in.  "  Etzel  sent  for  us  ;  we  have 
come  trusting  to  his  royal  word.  And  my 
sister  also  sent  many  loving  messages  of 
her  own." 

"  What  more  can  I  say  ?  "  replied  Diet- 
rich. "  All  I  know  is  that  every  morning 
I  hear  her  cry  and  moan,  as  though  her 
heart  would  break,  and  call  to  high 
Heaven  for  vengeance  on  Siegfried's 
slayers." 

"  What  is  done  cannot  be  undone," 
spoke  Folker,  the  minstrel-knight.  "  As 
things  are,  nothing  is  left  us  but  to  ride 
on  to  court  and  see  for  ourselves." 

And  now  they  all  rode  on  together ;  the 


154  Siegfried 

Burgundians  in  closely  serried  ranks,  with 
proud  and  martial  bearing,  after  their  coun- 
try's fashion.  The  roads  were  crowded  as 
they  passed.  The  Huns  were  especially 
anxious  for  a  look  at  Hagen,  whom  they 
knew  to  have  slain  the  mightiest  of  all 
famous  heroes  ;  the  curiosity  to  see  him 
was  great  as  well  at  court  as  through  the 
country.  And  as  they  gazed  their  fill  on 
him,  they  beheld  a  middle-aged  warrior, 
powerfully  built,  broad  of  chest  and  shoul- 
ders, with  dark  hair  mixed  with  grey,  tall 
and  erect  of  figure,  grim  and  forbidding 
of  face. 

When  they  arrived,  the  knights  were 
taken  at  once  to  rich  and  handsome  quart- 
ers, but  not  roomy  enough  to  hold  their 
followers  also,  who  were  comfortably 
housed  elsewhere.  That  they  were  thus 
separated  was  due  to  Kriemhilde's  fore- 
thought. 

The  moment  she  was  informed  of  their 
coming,  she  went  to  visit  them  with  a  few 
attendants.  She  greeted  her  brothers,  but 
kissed  only  Giselher,  and  never  gave  a  look 
to  Hagen.  Seeing  which,  he  made  his 


The  Arrival  155 

helmet  faster  on  his  head  and  spoke  out 
loud  and  roughly : 

"  After  such  a  reception,  our  friends  may 
well  be  in  doubt.  Greetings,  I  see,  are 
unlike  for  prince  and  subject.  We  might 
have  spared  ourselves  the  journey." 

"  Let  those  welcome  you,"  the  Queen 
retorted  sternly,  "  to  whom  you  are  a 
pleasant  sight.  As  for  me — what  precious 
gifts  have  you  brought  me  from  the  Rhine, 
that  /  should  give  you  such  a  warm 
welcome  ?  " 

"What  foolish  talk  is  this?"  rudely 
broke  in  Hagen.  "  Gifts  !  why  should  we 
bring  you  any  ?  Had  I  but  thought  of  it, 
I  am  not  so  poor  but  that  I  might  have 
presented  you  with  some  gewgaw  or 
other." 

"  One  thing  only  I  would  ask  you," 
Kriemhilde  said  tauntingly  :  "  what  did 
you  do  with  the  Nibelung  treasure?  that 
was  my  own,  as  you  know  very  well.  It 
was  your  plain  duty  to  bring  it  to  me 
here." 

"  Sooth  to  say,  my  lady  Kriemhilde,  it 
is  many  and  many  a  day  since  I  am  rid  of 


156  Siegfried 

the  nuisance.  My  lords,  your  brothers, 
had  it  sunk  in  the  Rhine,  and  there  it  shall 
lie  until  Doomsday." 

"  Think  not  at  least  that  I  am  longing 
for  the  gold  ;  I  have  more  of  that  than  I 
could  ever  spend.  But  I  am  the  victim  of 
a  murder  and  a  felony,  and  for  that  my 
heart  craves  satisfaction." 

Then,  turning  to  all  the  knights,  the 
Queen  commanded  : 

"  The  King's  guests  may  not  carry  arms 
in  the  King's  mansion.  Give  yours  to  me, 
ye  warriors  ;  I  will  take  care  of  them." 

"  That  shall  never  be  !  "  Hagen  cried 
quickly  ;  "  you  do  us  too  much  honour, 
royal  lady, — we  could  not  suffer  your  fair 
hands  to  carry  our  heavy  shields,  and  other 
weapons.  It  is  not  your  place  :  you  are 
the  Queen.  Besides,  my  father  taught  me 
to  take  care  of  my  arms  myself." 

The  Queen  frowned  and  bit  her  lip. 

"  They  have  been  warned  ! "  she  mut- 
tered. "  Did  I  but  know  who  dared  to  do 
it,  that  man  should  lose  his  life." 

"  /  did  !  "  Dietrich  declared  defiantly  ; 
"  I  warned  the  noble  princes  and  Hagen, 


The  Arrival  157 

too,  their  liegeman.  Do  your  worst,  you 
fiendish  woman ;  you  dare  not  touch  me." 

And  he  gave  her  such  a  look  that 
she  flushed  with  shame  and  anger,  and 
went  without  another  word,  only  casting  a 
venomous  glance  at  her  foe. 

So  greatly  had  years  of  brooding  over 
one  great  wrong,  and  of  unholy  craving 
for  revenge  changed  Siegfried's  gentle 
wife  ! 


XX 

ON  GUARD 

THERE  was  an  ominous  silence  after 
Kriemhilde  had  gone.  Then  Hagen 
and  Dietrich  joined  hands,  and  the  latter 
spoke  : 

"  It  grieves  me  much,  in  truth,  that  you 
and  your  friends  should  have  taken  this 
journey,  now  the  Queen  has  spoken  such 
words." 

"  Forewarned,  forearmed,"  was  all  that 
Hagen  said.  And  they  parted  for  the  time. 

The  palace  in  which  the  Burgundians 
were  housed  stood  directly  opposite  the 
royal  palace  ;  there  Kriemhilde  stood  at 
a  window  and  could  not  take  her  eyes  off 
the  gate  over  the  way,  before  which  sat 
the  two  friends,  Folker  and  Hagen,  mount- 
ing guard.  Hagen  knew  she  was  looking, 
158 


On  Guard  159 

and,  the  deeper  to  spite  her,  had  laid  Sieg- 
fried's own  good  sword,  Balmung,  across 
his  knees.  She  burst  into  tears  at  the 
sight,  and  told  her  great  grievance  to 
those  of  Etzel's  warriors  who  were  in  the 
same  room  with  her. 

"  I  would  be  beholden  to  my  dying 
day,"  she  concluded,  amidst  tears  and  sobs, 
"  to  any  man  who  would  avenge  me  on 
that  man  ;  I  must  have  his  life." 

King  Etzel,  in  the  meantime,  who  had 
not  the  remotest  idea  of  his  wife's  feel- 
ings and  evil  schemings,  was  wondering 
why  his  guests  were  so  long  in  presenting 
themselves  before  him.  Then  some  of 
his  nearest  friends  went  over  to  bring 
them  to  court  in  state.  Dietrich  of  Bern 
took  Gunther  by  the  hand,  Rudiger  took 
Giselher,  others  took  the  rest ;  so  all  walked 
in  pairs,  and,  crossing  the  palace-yard,  en- 
tered the  great  audience-hall. 

The  moment  Etzel  saw  King  Gunther, 
he  sprang  from  his  seat  and,  meeting  ,him 
half  way,  the  two  exchanged  greetings  the 
most  cordial  that  ever  passed  between 
crowned  heads. 


160  Siegfried 

"  Welcome  ! "  he  cried,  "  thrice  welcome, 
noble  Gunther,  and  you  Gernot,  and  you, 
brother  Giselher  !  Welcome  also  all  your 
knights  with  you  !  And  you  especially  be 
welcome  to  me  and  to  my  wife  here,  my 
Queen,  ye  two  worthies  from  the  Rhine, 
Hagen  and  Folker  the  bold.  She  sent 
you  many  a  kind  message,  I  know." 

"  Which  were  duly  given  us,"  replied 
Hagen,  in  his  courtliest  manner.  "  Had  I 
not  come  in  my  liege's  following,  as  in  duty 
bound,  I  would  have  taken  the  journey  on 
purpose  to  pay  my  respects  to  my  lord  the 
King." 

Once  again  the  King  took  his  dear 
guests  by  the  hand,  and  led  them  to  their 
seats,  close  by  his  own.  And  while  the 
cupbearers  filled  their  wide  golden  bowls 
with  wine  and  mead,  he  once  again  bade 
them  welcome. 

"  I  must  confess,"  he  said,  "  I  often  won- 
dered wherein  I  had  failed  against  you, 
that,  while  so  many  noble  guests  graced 
my  hearth,  you,  my  brothers,  never  took 
the  journey  to  my  land.  But  now  I  see 
you  here,  my  joy  at  having  you  under 


On  Guard  161 

my  roof  and  at  my  board  makes  me  for- 
get the  slight  sting  of  former  neglect. 
Let  us  therefore  rejoice  and  be  happy 
together." 

The  banquet  was  splendid  beyond  words, 
and  would  have  lasted  far  into  the  night, 
had  not  the  guests  pleaded  fatigue  and 
asked  to  be  taken  to  their  night-quarters. 
They  found  a  vast  hall  lined  with  most 
luxurious  beds,  wide  and  soft,  decked  with 
costliest,  daintiest  furs,  such  as  ermine  and 
black  sable.  But,  tired  as  they  were,  they 
did  not  dare  to  enjoy  the  rest  on  these 
tempting  couches.  Yet  it  would  have  been 
very  unwise  for  them  to  meet  the  morrow's 
dangers  unrested  and  unrefreshed ;  so 
Hagen  and  Folker  volunteered  to  keep 
guard  at  the  door  of  the  hall,  and  bade 
their  comrades  sleep. 

Half  an  hour  later  not  a  man  was  up 
but  those  two.  Hagen  sat  leaning  against 
the  door-post  with  Balmung  lying  bare 
across  his  knees.  But  Folker  took  his 
fiddle  and  bow  and  softly  played  some  of 
his  sweetest  tunes,  with  which  he  was  wont 
to  shorten  many  a  starlit  evening  at  home, 


1 62  Siegfried 

by  the  Rhine.  He  played  to  sleep  many 
a  careworn  soul  that  night,  their  last  night 
of  kindly  rest. 

Their  fears  had  not  been  idle.  The 
night  was  not  half  spent  when  the  two 
faithful  watchers  heard  the  clanking  of 
armour  and  caught  a  faint  glimmer  of 
steel  through  the  darkness.  It  was  a 
small  body  of  Huns  which  approached 
the  house  and  halted  at  some  distance 
from  the  gate.  Finding  it  so  well  guarded, 
they  whispered  among  themselves  and 
walked  softly  away,  thinking  themselves 
unnoticed.  But  Folker  challenged  them, 
and,  receiving  no  answer,  cried  after 
them  : 

"  Fie  on  the  dastards,  who  would  have 
murdered  weary  men  in  their  sleep ! " 

Nothing  more  happened  that  night  and 
Hagen  woke  his  comrades  as  the  grey 
dawn  was  creeping  into  the  windows  of  the 
hall.  Presently  the  church  bells  began  to 
ring  and  they  were  called  to  early  mass. 
King  Etzel  attended  it  with  many  of  his 
heathen  Huns,  to  do  honour  to  his  guests. 
He  was  astonished  to  see  them  in  full  ar- 


On  Guard  163 

mour,  with  shield  and  sword  and  spear,  and 
shining  breastplate  instead  of  festive  silken 
robes. 

"What  is  this  I  see?"  he  cried.  "  My 
friends  helmeted  and  belted  ?  By  my 
troth,  if  anybody  here  has  offended  you, 
ye  shall  have  satisfaction,  in  any  way  ye 
may  yourselves  appoint." 

To  which  Hagen  replied  : 

"  No  one  offended  us.  It  is  my  people's 
custom  to  go  armed  for  three  full  days 
when  they  are  on  a  visit." 

Kriemhilde  shot  a  furious  glance  at  him 
from  under  her  lowered  lids.  If  only 
somebody  had  had  the  courage  to  tell 
King  Etzel  how  things  really  were,  he 
would  have  prevented  the  disaster.  But 
all  were  silent,  from  fear  of  being  rated  as 
tale-bearers,  and  he  alone  of  all  present 
began  the  day  with  a  light  heart  and  a 
mind  free  from  care. 

After  church  the  whole  forenoon  passed 
away  in  knightly  exercises,  a-foot,  and  a- 
horseback,  in  which  the  Burgundians  and 
the  Huns  strove  to  outdo  one  another. 
There  were  many  single  encontuers,  and 


164  Siegfried 

in  the  general  sham  battle  which  ended 
the  morning's  show,  the  performers,  se- 
cretly moved  as  they  were  by  a  silent 
grudge  and  mutual  ill-feeling,  came  very 
near  making  earnest  of  play.  King  Etzel, 
who  had  been  enjoying  the  exercises  from 
the  window  at  which  he  sat  with  Kriem- 
hilde,  was  astonished  and  somewhat 
alarmed.  But  she  looked  on  unmoved, 
indeed  rather  pleased,  because  she  saw 
that  Hagen  was  fast  losing  control  of 
himself,  and  if  he  happened  to  be  killed, 
her  revenge  would  have  been  accomplished 
without  any  further  action  on  her  part, 
and  she  could  then  peacefully  enjoy  her 
brothers'  visit,  for  she  did  not  wish  harm 
to  them  or  any  of  those  who  came  with 
them.  But  it  was  not  to  be.  The  evil 
seed  of  so  many  years  was  to  bring  forth 
its  full  harvest  of  evil. 

What  Etzel  feared  took  place.  A  Hun 
of  great  size  and  lordly  bearing  bore  down 
on  Folker  with  such  violence  that  Hagen 
could  not  do  anything  but  fight  in  earnest, 
in  his  friend's  defence.  Others  joined  in 
and  made  a  quick  end  of  the  Hun.  The 


On  Guard  165 

tumult  that  followed  was  deafening ;  help 
and  arms  were  called  for  on  all  sides, 
knights  were  unsaddled,  and  it  took  all  the 
King's  authority,  as  he  appeared  among 
the  rioters,  to  prevent  a  general  engage- 
ment. With  his  own  hand  he  struck  a 
heavy  weapon  from  the  grasp  of  a  cousin 
of  the  dead  Hun  and  shouted  in  a  voice 
of  thunder : 

"  If  you  had  killed  that  man  you  should 
have  paid  dearly  for  the  deed.  That 
your  cousin  was  slain  was  an  accident ;  I 
saw  it  all.  Let  not  a  hair  be  touched  on 
my  guests'  heads." 

This  put  an  end  to  the  morning's  pas- 
time. But  the  dark  mood  it  had  brought 
forth  cast  its  shadow  upon  the  feast  which 
followed.  The  King  frowned  as  he  saw 
all  his  own  men  appear  at  table  in  full 
armour.  He  guessed  that  they  were 
watching  their  chance  to  avenge  their 
comrade,  and  sternly  warned  them  that 
the  peace  must  be  kept. 

Meanwhile,  and  before  they  all  sat  down 
i.o  the  feast,  Kriemhilde  had  taken  apart 
Oietrich,  the  King  of  Bern,  and  his  uncle, 


1 66  Siegfried 

old  Hildebrand,  and  entreated  them  to 
help  her  in  her  revenge. 

"  It  is  only  Hagen,"  she  said,  "whose 
life  I  crave ;  he  who  slew  my  beloved 
Siegfried.  I  would  not  for  the  world 
that  harm  should  come  to  any  of  the 
others." 

But  Dietrich  at  once  and  absolutely 
refused  : 

"  Spare  your  words,  noble  Queen.  Your 
request  does  you  little  honour :  your 
friends  came  hither  relying  on  your  troth. 
Siegfried  may  be  avenged,  but  not  by 
me." 

Kriemhilde  then,  in  her  despair,  turned 
to  King  Etzel's  younger  brother,  Bledel, 
who  had  always  been  devoted  to  her,  and 
by  dint  of  coaxing,  tears,  and  promises, 
got  him  to  consent  to  undertake,  even 
though  unwillingly,  the  most  unwelcome 
task.  He  was  to  prepare  for  it  at  once, 
and  therefore  could  not  be  present  at  the 
banquet. 

But  she  went  in,  satisfied  at  heart,  in 
time  to  enter  the  hall  with  Etzel,  as  was 
seemly.  For  the  first  time  the  strain  on 


On  Guard  167 

her  mind  relaxed  so  far  that  she  felt  some 
pleasure  in  entertaining  her  guests,  and 
sent  for  her  son  Ortlieb,  whom  his  uncles 
from  Burgundy  had  not  yet  seen. 

"  See  here,  my  friends,"  the  King  joy- 
fully cried,  turning  to  his  wife's  brothers 
as  the  boy  approached  the  table  :  "  this  is 
my  child,  and  your  sister's,  who  will  grow 
up,  I  trust,  to  show  you  his  duty  and 
service.  If  the  fruit  is  like  the  tree,  he 
will  be  a  man  of  some  worth.  The  lands 
of  twelve  kings  will  I  bestow  on  him. 
Though  young,  his  friendship  will  be  worth 
having.  Therefore  I  would  request  of 
your  brotherly  love,  that  when  you  return 
to  your  home  by  the  Rhine,  you  take  him 
with  you  as  your  own.  Bring  him  up  as 
beseems  a  royal  youth,  after  the  fashion 
of  your  country  ;  and  should  anybody  in 
any  way  wrong  you,  he  will  be  your 
ready  helper  and  avenger  when  he  reaches 
man's  estate." 

Kriemhilde  heard,  but  said  not  a  word. 
But  Hagen  spoke,  churlishly  and  roughly, 
after  his  wont. 

"Surely,"  he  said,  "his  noble  kinsmen 


1 68  Siegfried 

could  wish  for  no  better  friend,  if  he  grows 
up  to  manhood.  Only,  as  I  look  at  him, 
the  young  princeling  seems  to  me  but 
poorly  in  health.  I  for  one  do  not  expect 
to  be  his  courtier  long." 

The  King  glanced  at  Hagen  :  the  words 
cut  him  to  the  heart.  But  he  controlled 
himself  and  kept  his  peace.  All  the 
King's  friends  were  pained  at  Hagen's 
insulting  words  and  it  tried  them  sorely 
to  have  to  pass  them  by  unchallenged. 
There  was  not  one  in  that  hall  who  would 
not  gladly  have  called  him  out  to  mortal 
combat ;  the  King  would  have  been  the 
first,  had  his  honour  allowed.  But  a 
guest  is  sacred,  and  he  remembered  the 
unwritten  law  even  in  this  moment  of 
bitterest  anger. 


XXI 
KRIEMHILDE'S  REVENGE 

THINGS  were  now  balanced  so  danger- 
ously that  the  first  move  on  either 
side  must  bring  them  toppling  down  to  a 
general  catastrophe.  The  move  came 
from  the  Huns. 

While  King  Etzel  and  his  principal 
guests  were  feasting  in  the  great  hall, 
sullen  and  expecting  they  knew  not  what, 
Gunther's  retainers  sat  around  plentifully 
laden  boards  in  another  hall  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  royal  banqueting-hall,  and 
Dankwart,  the  marshal,  attended  to  their 
needs  and  kept  order  among  them,  as  was 
his  office. 

Suddenly  before  them  appeared  Bledel, 
King  Etzel's  brother,  with  a  strong  fol- 
169 


1 70  Siegfried 

lowing,  all  armed  to  the  teeth.  Dankwart 
received  him  with  smiling  welcome,  and 
at  first  would  not  believe  him  when  he 
said  that  he  and  his  men  had  come  to 
fight  the  Burgundians  to  the  death,  all  on 
account  of  Siegfried's  murder  long  ago. 

"Why,  my  lord  Bledel,"  said  Dankwart, 
"in  what  does  that  concern  me  and  my 
friends  ?  I  was  but  a  boy  at  the  time, 
and  had  nothing  to  do  with  it." 

"  I  know,  I  know  it  all,"  sorrowfully  re- 
plied the  Prince ;  "  it  was  your  brother 
Hagen  and  Guntherthe  King.  Still,  you 
must  all  pay  for  it :  such  is  Kriemhilde's 
will.  So  defend  yourselves  !  " 

"  Is  that  how  the  wind  blows  ?"  Dank- 
wart cried  angrily  ;  "  then  I  am  sorry  I 
wasted  kind  words  on  you  !  " 

And,  springing  up,  he  snatched  out  his 
long  sharp  sword  and  with  one  stroke  of 
it  severed  Bledel's  head  from  his  body. 

The  hall  at  once  became  the  scene  of  a 
raging  battle.  Those  who  were  not  quick 
enough  to  get  all  their  arms,  picked  up 
the  heavy  wooden  stools  and  chairs  and 
hurled  them  at  the  assaulters'  heads.  At 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        171 

the  uproar  which  arose,  bodies  of  Huns 
came  trooping  in  from  all  quarters  and  in 
an  hour  or  so  all  the  Burgundians  lay 
dead  or  dying  on  the  bloody  floor.  It 
seemed  a  miracle  that  Dankwart  escaped 
unhurt,  and  the  Huns  themselves  were  so 
astonished  at  it  that  they  did  not  oppose 
him  when  he  rushed  out  to  carry  the 
dreadful  news  to  the  royal  banqueting- 
hall,  where  he  appeared,  haggard,  pant- 
ing, blood-besmeared,  like  a  spectre  of 
horror  and  slaughter. 

He  stood  in  the  door,  sword  in  hand, 
unable  at  first  to  utter  a  word,  but  his 
looks  told  his  story  all  too  plainly. 
Hagen  knew  at  once  what  had  happened, 
as  he  showed  by  his  questions,  and  when 
he  heard  his  brother's  brief  and  breathless 
answers,  he  was  up  in  a  moment. 

"  I  always  knew,"  he  cried,  "  that  Kriem- 
hilde  would  have  her  revenge  sometime. 
But  this  is  too  much  for  one  life.  She 
shall  have  some  more  to  pay  for — to 
begin  with,  the  boy  !  " 

Saying  which  he  suddenly  drew  his 
sword  and  with  one  quick  flash  cut  off 


172  Siegfried 

voung  Ortlieb's  head,  which  rolled  into 
TCriemhilde's  lap. 

This  was  the  signal  for  a  general  on- 
slaught, and  in  a  very  short  time  there 
were  quite  as  many  Huns  lying  killed 
here  in  the  royal  hall  as  Burgundians  in 
the  other  one.  For  the  guests  were  des- 
perate and  the  door  was  strongly  guarded, 
so  no  help  could  come  in  from  without. 

King  Etzel  and  Kriemhilde  were 
stunned  and  powerless.  At  last  there 
was  a  pause,  from  sheer  exhaustion.  Then 
she  spoke  to  Dietrich,  and  entreated  him 
to  help  them,  to  save  at  least  their  lives. 
He  had  not  much  hope,  still  he  decided 
to  try,  knowing  that  there  was  no  feud 
between  him  and  the  strangers,  and  that, 
indeed,  they  had  been  mutually  friendly 
from  the  moment  they  had  met. 

So  he  sent  forth  a  mighty  call,  loud  and 
shrill  as  the  blast  of  a  horn,  and,  standing 
on  a  table,  began  to  wave  his  arms,  until 
Gunther  and  his  friends  understood  that 
he  would  speak  to  them.  They  at  once 
commanded  silence  and  attention,  and 
Gunther  spoke  first : 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        173 

"  Most  noble  Dietrich,  have  you  re- 
ceived any  harm  at  the  hand  of  any  of 
my  friends  ?  I  were  loth  indeed  it  should 
be  so  and  am  ready  to  give  you  any  satis- 
faction." 

"  No  harm  have  I  taken,"  Dietrich  re- 
plied, "  not  so  far.  Therefore  I  pray  you 
of  your  courtesy  to  let  me  and  my  partic- 
ular friends  leave  this  building  under  your 
royal  safeguard.  If  you  do,  my  hand  and 
sword  shall  ever  be  as  your  own." 

"  Go  in  peace,"  said  Gunther  at  once, 
"  and  take  with  you  as  many  as  you  wish, 
so  they  be  not  of  those  who  are  killing  my 
friends,  for  these  must  take  their  chance 
— we  have  suffered  too  much  at  the  hand 
of  the  Huns." 

Then  the  King  of  Bern  laid  one  arm 
around  the  trembling  Queen  and  made 
Etzel  take  his  other  arm,  and  thus  led 
them  out  of  the  building,  many  warriors 
following  them. 

The  three  brothers  granted  the  same 
privilege  to  their  kind  friend  and  host, 
Margrave  Rudiger ;  so  he  also  led  many 
warriors  from  the  hall.  A  piece  of  chival- 


174  Siegfried 

rous  generosity  which  was  to  cost  them 
dear. 

After  this  clearing  of  the  hall  not  many 
Huns  were  left  alive  in  it,  and,  after  an- 
other brief  fight,  their  bodies  soon  lay  on 
the  hard  floor  beside  their  dead  comrades. 
Then  the  Burgundians  sat  down  to  rest 
and  get  their  breath,  but  were  up  again  in 
a  few  moments,  for  they  had  still  a  grim 
piece  of  work  before  them  ;  to  carry  out 
the  dead,  their  own  and  the  Huns'.  The 
latter  were  very  many  and  were  laid 
in  high  heaps  in  the  street  before  the 
palace. 

And  now  the  terrible  day  was  done — 
a  long  midsummer  day.  Darkness  de- 
scended, and  with  it  fear  of  what  the 
night  might  bring.  Kriemhilde  sat  gloomy 
and  silent,  despair  in  her  heart.  It  had 
all  come  so  suddenly  and  so  differently 
from  what  she  had  planned.  Hagen  alone 
was  to  have  suffered.  He  alone  was  her 
Siegfried's  foe  and  slayer,  and  she  had 
never  intended  that  punishment  should 
fall  on  any  other  head.  But  young  Bledel 
had  misunderstood  her,  and  thousands  had 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        175 

perished ;  and  thousands  more  must  per- 
ish— there  was  no  stopping  it.  And  she, 
after  giving  up  one  child  to  what  she  held 
a  sacred  duty,  now  had  lost  the  other  by 
the  same  murderer's  hand  and  brought  all 
this  horrible  disaster  on  the  man  who  had 
been  so  kind  a  lord  and  husband  to  her, 
and  who,  after  this  day's  work,  would  never 
smile  again. 

Meantime,  the  Burgundian  heroes  held 
sorrowful  counsel  together.  They  decided 
that  a  quick  death  would  be  better  than 
this  long  uncertainty.  They  sent  a  mes- 
senger to  King  Etzel,  asking  him  to  come 
to  them  and  hear  something  they  had  to 
propose,  and  the  three  brothers,  as  they 
were,  in  their  armour,  black  and  grimy 
with  dust  and  blood,  stepped  out  before 
the  palace,  to  await  his  coming. 

Etzel  came.  Not  alone — Kriemhilde 
came  with  him. 

"What  would  ye  with  me?"  the  King 
spoke  sadly  and  sternly.  "  Would  ye  have 
peace  ?  That  can  hardly  be  now,  after  ye 
have  done  me  and  mine  such  bloody  harm. 
Not  so  long  as  I  have  breath.  My  child 


1 76  Siegfried 

and  all  my  friends  whom  ye  slew  must 
stand  forever  betwixt  you  and  me." 

To  which  Gunther  gave  answer  : 

"We  were  forced  to  it.  We  did  not 
begin.  My  people  were  slaughtered  at 
their  meal  by  your  warriors.  Is  that  your 
troth  ?  I  came  trusting  to  your  pledged 
word,  and  holding  you  my  friend." 

Then  young  Giselher  addressed  those 
that  had  come  with  the  King  : 

"  Of  you  I  ask,  ye  warriors  of  King 
Etzel,  what  do  ye  charge  me  with  ?  What 
had  I  done  to  you,  coming  to  your  coun- 
try so  joyful  and  confiding  ?  " 

They  answered  him  : 

"  The  city  here  and  the  palace  are  full 
of  thy  goodness,  and  the  land.  Much 
would  we  give,  for  thy  sake,  that  thou 
hadst  never  come  among  us.  Many  tears 
had  been  spared  the  women  of  Worms  on 
the  Rhine." 

"  If  you  would  even  now  put  a  stop  to 
the  slaughter,"  Gunther  once  more  spoke 
to  the  King,  "by  my  troth,  it  were  well 
done  for  all.  'T  is  most  undeserved,  God 
wot !  this  that  is  done  to  us." 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        177 

But  the  host  spoke  angrily  to  his  former 
guests  : 

"  Our  grievances  are  most  unlike.  For 
the  great  disaster,  the  disgrace,  and  the 
heartache  that  ye  have  brought  upon  me, 
not  one  of  you  shall  escape  alive." 

Then  strong  Gernot  spoke,  with  gloomy 
brow : 

"  Do  us  the  one  favour  still :  let  what 
must  be,  be  done  quickly.  Let  us  out 
of  this  hall,  to  an  open  place,  for  our 
last  battle.  We  are  weary  unto  death, 
many  of  us  are  grievously  wounded  ;  your 
men  are  fresh  and  will  finish  us  promptly. 
'Tis  better  than  this  long  agony." 

King  Etzel  and  his  men  were  stirred 
with  pity  and  about  to  yield  to  this  request 
of  dying  men  ;  when  Kriemhilde,  who  had 
hitherto  held  her  peace,  cried  out,  with 
furious  mien  : 

"  Nay,  nay,  ye  warriors ;  that  were 
sheer  folly,  believe  me  ;  I  know  my  moth- 
er's noble  sons :  were  they  to  come  alone 
among  you,  desperate  as  they  are,  ye 
were  lost — the  earth  never  bore  braver 
heroes." 


1 78  Siegfried 

Then  sadly  spoke  young  Giselher : 

"  Fair  sister,  never  would  I  have  believed 
such  treachery  of  thee,  that  thou  shouldst 
lure  me  hither  to  my  death.  What  have 
I  done  to  deserve  such  a  fate  ?  Have  I 
not  always  been  a  true  and  loving  brother 
to  thee  ?  I  came  at  a  word  from  thee, 
never  doubting  thy  love.  And  now  I 
have  fallen  low  indeed,  since,  sister,  I  must 
sue  for  pur  lives  to  thy  mercy  ! " 

"  I  give  no  mercy  where  I  received 
none,"  the  Queen  pitilessly  replied.  "  Ha- 
gen  broke  my  heart  at  home,  and  now 
here  he  slays  my  child  :  for  that  all  must 
pay  who  came  with  him.  Still,  if  ye  will 
deliver  him,  Hagen,  up  to  me,  ye  shall 
live  and  go  hence  safe.  For  ye  are  my 
brothers,  my  mother's  children — I  mind 
me  of  that.  Say  '  yes,'  and  I  will  entreat 
these  warriors  to  let  you  go  against 
ransom." 

"  God  in  Heaven  forbid  such  felony  ! " 
cried  Gernot.  "  Were  there  a  thousand 
left  of  us,  we  should  lie  down  dead  at  thy 
friends'  feet  before  we  would  give  up  one 
man  to  thee." 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        179 

"  We  must  all  die,"  Giselher  joined  in  ; 
"then  let  none  say  of  us  hereafter  that 
we  could  be  bribed  from  usage  and  law 
of  chivalry.  If  any  would  fight  us,  weak- 
ened as  we  are,  they  will  find  us  willing ; 
but  I  never  yet  betrayed  a  friend,  and 
it  is  too  late  to  begin  now." 

Then  Kriemhilde,  blinded  by  wrath, 
maddened  by  her  long-deferred  revenge, 
did  a  monstrous  thing :  she  ordered  the 
building  set  on  fire  at  the  four  corners. 
King  Etzel  did  not  gainsay,  and  many 
willing  hands  obeyed  the  cruel  command. 
As  the  flames  leaped  up,  all  walked  away 
into  the  night,  leaving  the  wretched  vic- 
tims to  their  doom. 

But  the  end  was  not  yet.  The  build- 
ing was  strong,  with  vaulted  roof,  the 
night  was  still :  so  the  blaze  played  idly 
around  roof  and  gable  and,  though  it  kept 
the  men  within  busy  all  night  watching 
and  putting  out  the  firebrands  which  kept 
dropping  down  into  the  hall  and  on  their 
helmeted  heads,  no  serious  damage  was 
done,  and  when,  soon  after  daybreak,  a 
body  of  warriors  sent  by  Kriemhilde  ap- 


i8o  Siegfried 

preached  what  they  expected  to  find  a 
smoking  heap  of  ruins,  they  were  amazed 
to  see  the  walls  still  standing  and  hardly 
injured,  and  to  be  met  by  several  hun- 
dreds of  desperate  men.  The  Huns 
hastily  sent  back  for  more  men  of  the 
best,  even  while  they  began  the  last  fierce 
battle.  It  was  like  fighting  men  already 
dead ;  yet  many  a  Hun  had  to  lose  his 
life  at  the  hand  of  the  Burgundians  at 
bay,  whose  only  wish  was  now  to  send  as 
many  as  possible  to  the  other  world  before 
them. 

Rudiger  and  Dietrich  had  kept  out  of 
the  fray  until  this  last  hour,  for  there  were 
strong  bonds  of  friendship  and  hospitality 
between  them  and  the  guests  from  the 
Rhine.  While  the  three  royal  brothers 
had  been  entertained  at  the  Margrave's  cas- 
tle, a  marriage  had  even  been  arranged  be- 
tween the  general  favourite,  Giselher,  and 
the  host's  only  daughter.  Rudiger  was 
to  return  with  them  to  Worms,  where  the 
wedding  was  to  have  taken  place.  And 
now,  in  this  last  hour  of  extrernest  peril,  he 
sent  a  messenger  to  Dietrich,  asking 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        i8r 

whether  he  could  think  of  anything  to 
save  the  lives  of  the  kings  even  yet, 
Brief  and  stern  came  the  reply :  "  King 
Etzel  will  not  hear  of  mercy.  And  who 
can  gainsay  him  ?  " 

Then  Rudiger  wept  where  he  stood. 

A  gigantic  Hun  drew  the  Queen's  at- 
tention to  him. 

"  See  him  stand  there,"  he  cried,  in 
loud,  jeering  tone  :  "  he  whom  you  and 
King  Etzel  have  raised  above  all  other 
men.  Of  his  many  castles,  how  many 
were  given  him  by  the  King  ?  Yet  I  do 
not  see  that  he  has  struck  a  blow  to  help 
us  in  our  sore  plight.  What  cares  he,  so 
his  house  and  barns  are  full !  Men  say 
he  is  the  bravest  of  the  brave.  We  have 
not  seen  much  of  it  so  far." 

The  Margrave  heard,  and  regarded  the 
Hun  with  ominous  calmness.  Then, 
stepping  up  to  him  and  lifting  his  power- 
ful arm,  "  Caitiff  !  take  that ! "  he  said,— 
and  struck  him  one  blow  on  the  head  with 
his  fist.  The  man  fell  prone  at  his  feet — 
dead. 

"  That  was  not  well  done,  noble  Rudi- 


1 82  Siegfried 

ger,"  King  Etzel  spoke,  gloomily  ;  "  me- 
thinks  we  had  enough  dead  here  as  it  was. 
That  is  a  poor  kind  of  help." 

"  The  time  was  ill  chosen  to  cast  in  my 
teeth  the  benefits  I  have  received  from 
you,  and  throw  a  doubt  on  my  honour," 
retorted  the  Christian.  "  He  will  lie  no 
more." 

The  Queen  looked  at  Rudiger  sadly. 
Her  eyes  filled  with  tears.  At  last  she 
spoke : 

"  Have  we  deserved  this  of  you,  the 
King  and  I,  that  you  should  add  to  our 
sorrow  ?  Have  you  not  sworn  over  and 
over  again  to  venture  for  us  your  honour 
and  your  life  ?  And  I — I  now  demand  of 
you  the  faith  which  you  swore  to  me  with 
lip  and  hand  when  you  pressed  me  to 
accept  King  Etzel's  wooing,  and  pledged 
yourself  in  my  bitter  need  to  serve  me 
until  death,  to  further  my  vengeance  and 
take  all  my  woe  from  me." 

"  And  have  I  not  been  ever  ready  to 
serve  you  in  all  things?"  Rudiger  mur- 
mured, sore  stung  by  this  reminder.  "  I 
will  not  deny,  O  Queen,"  he  went  on, 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        183 

more  firmly,  "  all  that  I  swore  to  you. 
Honour  and  life  I  am  willing  to  give  for 
you.  But  I  did  not  swear  away  my  soul. 
'Twas  I  who  brought  the  princes  to  this 
court !  'T  was  me  they  trusted — my 
pledged  faith  ! " 

Then  Etzel  also  began  to  entreat, 
and  at  last  both  threw  themselves  at  his 
feet. 

"  Oh,  woe  is  me ! "  cried  the  tortured 
man,  "  that  I  should  live  to  see  this  miser- 
able day !  Honour,  truth,  God's  own 
law — am  I  to  cast  them  all  from  me  ?  O 
Lord  of  Heaven,  let  me  die  first !  Or 
send  me  Thy  light,  that  I  may  see  where 
duty  lies ! " 

Then  suddenly  turning  to  the  King — 

"  Lord  Etzel !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  take 
back  all  that  thou  gavest  me  :  castles,  and 
lands,  and  gold.  I  want  nothing.  I  will 
go  forth  on  foot,  a  beggar,  taking  only 
my  wife  and  daughter  by  the  hand,  be- 
fore I  end  my  life  by  a  deed  of  eternal 
shame." 

But  the  King  would  not  listen. 

"  What  are  lands,  and  castles,  and  gold  ! " 


1 84  Siegfried 

he  cried  ;  "it  is  thy  valour,  thy  manhood, 
I  want,  for  who  else  is  there  to  help  me  in 
my  need  ?  A  king  will  I  make  thee,  a  king 
second  only  to  myself — but  help  me,  now, 
Rudiger — avenge  me  ! " 

"  How  can  I  hurt  them  ?  "  the  Margrave 
went  on,  unheeding  the  King's  words. 
"  They  have  been  my  guests,  have  eaten 
and  drunk  at  my  board,  and  borne  away 
my  gifts.  Nay,  my  daughter  I  gave  to 
young  Giselher — more  nobly  and  virtu- 
ously she  could  never  have  mated — and 
shall  mine  be  the  hand  to  slay  them  ?  " 

But  when  the  Queen  once  more  in- 
sisted, entreating  his  service,  not  as  a  due, 
but  as  a  boon,  he  could  not  allow  personal 
affection  to  stand  any  longer  in  the  way  of 
his  oath  and  of  his  duty  as  vassal  to  the 
King  of  the  Huns.  He  threw  both  life 
and  soul  into  the  balance. 

"  I  must  even  keep  my  oath,"  he  sighed. 
"  Alas,  my  friends  !  .  .  .  But  one  thing 
is  sure  :  I  may  not  survive  this  day.  Be- 
fore night  my  lands  and  castles  shall  be 
yours  once  more,  Lord  Etzel,  to  bestow 
on  whom  you  will.  Therefore,  to  you  I 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        185 

commend  my  wife  and  child,  and  all  the 
homeless  ones  at  Bechlaren." 

With  heavy  step  and  drooping  head  he 
left  the  King,  and  went  where  his  five 
hundred  men  stood  awaiting  his  orders. 

"  Arm  yourselves,"  he  commanded 
briefly ;  "  we  must  fight  the  brave  Bur- 
gundians,  more  's  the  pity." 

When  the  three  brothers  saw  Rudiger 
enter  the  hall  with  his  following,  they 
greeted  him  with  a  shout  of  joy,  for  they 
thought  he  came  as  a  friend  and  brought 
them  relief.  But  the  Margrave  stood 
stern  and  sad  for  one  moment,  then  cried 
out  to  them  : 

"  Brave  Nibelungs,  defend  yourselves  ! 
We  have  been  friends — we  are  so  no 
more ! " 

An  awed  silence  fell  on  the  Burgun- 
dians.  They  did  not  believe  him. 

"  Heaven  forbid,"  spoke  Gunther  at 
length,  "  that  you  should  be  thus  false  to 
friendship  and  hospitality  !  You  cannot 
mean  it." 

"  It  cannot  be  helped,"  replied  Rudi- 
ger, sorrowfully.  "  I  once  swore  an  oath, 


1 86  Siegfried 

and  now  I  am  held  to  it.  The  Queen 
leaves  me  no  choice." 

"  You  cannot  take  our  lives,  you  who 
have  been  our  kind  host  and  loving  friend," 
said  Gunther,  still  incredulous.  "  Re- 
member, noble  Rudiger,  it  was  you  who 
brought  us  to  Etzel's  kingdom." 

"  And  see,"  said  Gernot,  "  I  wear  the 
sword  you  gave  me.  It  has  done  me  good 
service  this  day.  And  shall  I  now  turn  it 
against  the  giver  ?  " 

"  Your  wife,  the  Lady  Gotelinde,"  fell  in 
Hagen,  "gave  me  the  shield  I  brought  to 
Etzel's  Court ;  the  Huns  have  hacked  it 
to  pieces,  and  now  I  am  defenceless. 
Would  that  I  had  one  like  that  one  of 
yours,  noble  Rudiger  ! " 

"  Take  it,  Hagen,"  the  Margrave  said, 
and  held  it  out  to  him  ;  "  and  would  to 
God  you  might  carry  it  home  to  Bur- 
gundy ! " 

There  was  not  a  dry  eye  among  the 
doomed  warriors ;  many  wept  outright. 
Even  Hagen,  grim  as  he  was,  and  hard 
of  heart,  was  touched  at  so  much  gentle- 
ness. 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        187 

"  God  requite  you,  noble  Margrave," 
he  cried  ;  "  there  is  no  other  man  like 
you.  We  had  enough  heartache  to  bear 
without  having  to  fight  our  friend  ! " 

It  was  Rudiger's  last  gift ;  the  hand 
whose  delight  it  had  been  to  give  was  never 
to  give  any  more. 

The  grief,  the  suspense,  were  growing 
unbearable — an  end  must  be  made.  Ru- 
diger,  who  had  meanwhile  been  handed 
another  shield,  raised  it  as  a  signal  to  his 
men,  and,  loth  as  they  all  were,  they 
rushed  forward,  and  the  deadly  fighting 
began  once  more.  Rudiger  seemed  sud- 
denly possessed  with  the  very  fury  of  bat- 
tle. Headlong  he  threw  himself  wherever 
the  fray  was  thickest.  Alas  !  he  killed, 
but  far  more  was  he  bent  on  being  killed. 
The  Burgundian  chiefs,  not  one  of  whom 
but  had  received  some  kindness  from  his 
hands,  were  careful  not  to  cross  swords 
with  him,  and  even  of  the  others  many 
stood  aside  to  let  him  pass.  But  he 
plunged  blindly  on  into  the  throng,  deal- 
ing his  mighty  blows,  and  each  of  them 
was  death — till  he  suddenly  found  himself 


1 88  Siegfried 

face  to  face  with  Gernot.  By  this  time 
the  blood  of  both  was  up. 

"  Hold  !  "  cried  the  Burgundian  prince  ; 
"  wouldst  leave  me  not  one  man,  most  no- 
ble Rudiger  ?  Nay  then,  stand  and  face 
me  !  I  shall  do  my  best  to  earn  thy  gift 
this  day." 

Without  another  word  they  closed, 
heroes  well  matched  both.  Had  it  been 
a  knightly  contest  in  the  lists,  or  even  a 
single  combat  after  the  rules  of  chivalry, 
how  would  the  lookers-on  have  applauded 
the  splendid  lesson  in  swordsmanship ! 
But  this  was  deadly  earnest,  and  no  one 
heeded  the  two  until,  after  several  wounds 
given  and  taken,  both  made  a  desperate 
onslaught,  and  both  fell,  mortally  stricken, 
each  by  the  other's  hand  :  Rudiger's  gift 
had  found  the  giver's  heart. 

Now  indeed  a  hush  fell  on  friend  and 
foe  ;  but  not  for  long.  The  Burgundians 
seemed  to  gather  strength  from  their  des- 
pair and  made  short  work  of  the  few  re- 
maining followers  of  the  Margrave  :  in  a 
few  moments  not  one  was  left  alive. 

Then  only  did  the  leaders — Gunther  and 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        189 

Hagen,  and  heart-broken  Giselher,  also 
Dankwart  and  Folker,  the  brave  minstrel- 
knight — gather  around  the  spot  where  lay 
the  two  (now  neither  friends  nor  foes), 
who  but  three  short  days  ago  would  have 
died  one  for  the  other.  None  spoke. 
Only  Giselher  said  wearily  : 

"  Death  hath  played  sad  havoc  with  us. 
But  cease  your  weeping  and  let  us  go  out 
for  a  breath  of  cool  air.  It  will  be  our 
turn  soon." 

Then  there  was  a  great  stillness  in  the 
hall.  Some  sat  down,  some  leaned  against 
the  walls.  Etzel  and  Kriemhilde,  who 
were  listening  for  the  end,  became  im- 
patient and  uneasy. 

"  They  must  be  talking  ! "  the  Queen 
exclaimed  at  last.  "  No  harm  will  ever 
come  to  our  foes  from  Rudiger's  hand. 
You  will  see  that  he  will  take  them  all 
safe  and  sound  home  to  Burgundy." 

But  too  soon  the  tidings  reached  them, 
and  the  Queen  was  shamed,  that  she  had 
wronged  him  in  her  thoughts.  Bitterly 
she  wept ;  King  Etzel's  plaint  was  as  a 
lion's  roar;  men's  deep  moans  and  wo- 


1 90  Siegfried 

men's  loud  sobbing  filled  the  palace,  and 
all  for  a  time  acted  as  demented  with 
grief. 

Dietrich,  the  noble  King  of  Bern,  was 
the  only  one  who  spoke  a  good  word  for 
the  Burgundians.  He  tried  to  keep  back 
his  knights,  who  began  at  once  to  arm 
themselves  and  would  have  rushed  to 
avenge  the  Margrave's  death  on  the  few 
that  were  left,  without  waiting  for  their 
liege  lord's  command. 

"  Be  not  so  hasty,  faithful  vassals  mine," 
he  implored  them.  "  Whatever  has  been 
done  by  these  homeless  ones,  bear  in 
mind  it  was  not  of  their  seeking :  they 
were  forced  to  it.  Let  me  try  to  make 
terms  for  them,  and  grudge  them  not 
their  life  and  free  departure,  if  so  be  I  can 
obtain  so  much." 

But  he  could  not  hold  his  men,  and 
though  he  would  not  go  with  them,  he 
allowed  them  to  depart,  led  by  his  uncle, 
brave  old  Hildebrand,  in  whose  wisdom 
and  kindliness  he  placed  great  trust,  and 
who  had  promised  only  to  ask  leave  to 
carry  away  Rudiger's  body.  For  himself, 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        191 

he  sat  down  in  a  window,  to  wait,  hoping 
against  hope  that  he  might  even  yet  be  of 
use  at  the  very  last  moment. 

And  as  he  waited,  he  heard  a  great 
rumour  in  the  hall  across  the  way,  and  he 
knew  there  was  fighting  again.  It  was 
some  time  before  Hildebrand  stood  before 
him,  alone — and  wounded. 

"  Uncle  ! "  Dietrich  cried,  "  what  means 
this  blood  ?  Are  you  hurt  ?  Who  did  it  ? 
You  have  been  fighting  with  the  guests ! 
You  should  have,  kept  the  peace,  as  I  so 
urgently  commanded." 

"  It  was  Hagen,"  the  old  man  replied. 
"  He  would  have  killed  me  but  that  I 
made  my  escape.  I  did  not  think  it 
shame  to  fly  from  Siegfried's  Nibelung 
sword,  Balmung." 

"It  served  you  right,"  angrily  retorted 
the  King  of  Bern.  "You  heard  me  say 
I  would  befriend  the  heroes,  and  yet  you 
broke  the  peace  which  I  had  promised 
them.  Were  it  anyone  but  you,  he  should 
pay  for  it  with  his  life." 

"  Dietrich,"  the  old  man  said  sadly,  "  do 
not  be  too  wroth  with  me  :  our  friends 


192  Siegfried 

and  I  have  suffered  too  much  as  it  is. 
All  we  wanted  was  to  carry  Rudiger  out  of 
the  hall,  but  Gunther's  people  would  not 
let  us." 

"  Then  I  must  go  myself,"  Dietrich  said, 
rising.  "  Tell  my  men  to  be  ready  to  go 
with  me — and  let  them  bring  me  my  silver 
armour.  I  shall  hold  parley  myself  with 
the  heroes  from  Burgundy." 

"  Who  is  to  go  with  you  ?"  Hildebrand 
asked,  bitterly  :  "  What  is  left  alive  of  your 
men  you  see  before  you.  The  others  are 
all  dead.  And  of  the  Burgundians  only 
Gunther  and  Hagen  are  left." 

Dietrich  turned  pale : 

"  O  my  God  !  "  he  murmured  with  quiv- 
ering lip,  "  Thou  hast  indeed  forsaken  me. 
But  yesterday  I  was  a  powerful  king  ;  to- 
day I  am  a  friendless  exile  !  .  .  .  Dead  ! 
Bold  Helferich, — my  well-beloved  Wolf- 
hart, — and  all  my  trusty  ones — dead  !  All 
in  one  day !  Shall  I  ever  cease  from 
mourning  ?  Oh,  woe  is  me  that  men  do 
not  die  of  grief ! " 

He  went  to  look  for  his  armour  himself  ; 
old  Hildebrand  buckled  it  on  for  him. 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        193 

Then  the  strong  man  broke  into  such  loud 
lamenting,  that  the  walls  were  shaken  with 
the  voice  of  his  sorrow.  But  he  quickly 
recovered  control  over  himself,  and,  firmly 
grasping  his  shield,  he  beckoned  to  Hilde- 
brand  and  both  walked  over  to  the  fateful 
hall. 

Gunther  and  Hagen  were  leaning  idly 
against  the  outer  wall. 

"  There  comes  Dietrich,"  said  Hagen  ; 
"  of  a  surety  he  is  bent  on  settling  ac- 
counts for  the  great  harm  we  have  done 
him.  Well,  it  is  his  right ;  and  if  he 
thinks  himself  a  match  for  me,  king  and 
hero  as  he  is,  I  am  his  man." 

But  Dietrich,  as  he  stopped  before  the 
two,  set  down  his  shield,  and  addressed 
them  in  mild  and  sorrowful  tones  : 

"  Gunther,  what  set  you  so  against  me, 
an  exile  in  a  strange  land  like  yourself? 
What  had  I  ever  done  to  you,  that  you 
should  take  from  me  all  that  made  life 
dear?  Was  it  not  enough  that  ye  slew 
our  noble  Rudiger,  but  ye  must  grudge 
me  my  friends  ?  Truly,  never  would  I 
have  done  the  like  by  you  ! " 


194  Siegfried 

"  We  are  not  so  much  to  blame  as  you 
think,"  Hagen  replied  ;  "  your  men  came 
here  armed  to  the  teeth,  making  a  great 
show  of  their  numbers.  You  have  heard 
only  one  side." 

"  What  else  can  I  believe  ? "  said  the 
King  of  Bern.  "  My  men  asked  you  to 
let  them  bear  Rudiger  away,  and  ye  an- 
swered them  with  gibes  and  insults." 

"  It  was  I  would  not  let  them  have 
Rudiger,"  fell  in  Gunther  ;  "  I  meant  to 
defy  Etzel,  not  your  men  or  you  ;  but  they 
began  to  abuse  and  mock  us." 

Spoke  Dietrich  sadly  : 

"  It  had  to  be.  But  now,  Gunther,  no- 
ble King,  I  entreat  thee  by  thy  chivalry 
— make  me  amends  for  the  heartache  thou 
hast  caused  me,  and  it  shall  go  unavenged  : 
Surrender  thyself  and  Hagen  as  my 
prisoners,  and  I  will  engage  that  no  one 
among  the  Huns  does  you  any  harm.  Ye 
shall  find  a  good  friend  and  true  in  me." 

"  Heaven  forefend,"  replied  Hagen. 
"  that  two  men  should  surrender  who 
stand  before  thee  scatheless  and  armed  : 
that  were  cowardice  and  dishonour." 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        195 

"  I  give  you  my  word — and  here  my 
hand  on  it ! — that  myself  will  ride  with  you 
to  your  home  ;  I  will  escort  you  thither  in 
honour  and  in  safety,  unless  I  die  myself. 
For  your  sakes  I  will  forget  my  own  great 
loss  and  grief." 

"  Heaven  knows,  my  lord  Hagen," 
warned  old  Hildebrand,  "  the  hour  may 
strike  only  too  soon,  when  you  would  be 
glad  to  take  King  Dietrich's  offer,  and  it 
may  then  be  too  late." 

"  I  will  take  my  chance  of  that,"  cried 
Hagen  ;  "  not  broken  as  yet  is  the  sword 
of  the  Nibelungs.  I  think  it  shame  that 
we  two  should  have  been  asked  to  sur- 
render to  only  two  men." 

Even  as  he  spoke  Hagen  sprang  against 
Dietrich  with  such  a  mighty  leap  that  the 
hero  was  barely  in  time  to  raise  his  shield 
to  catch  the  Nibelung  sword's  resounding 
stroke.  In  sheer  self-defence  he  struck 
back  and  inflicted  a  gash  both  deep  and 
broad.  But  he  fought  shy  of  Balmung's 
magic  ;  and  besides,  he  thought  it  would 
do  him  little  honour  to  slay  a  man  weak- 
ened by  the  long  strain  on  his  strength. 


196  Siegfried 

So  he  dropped  his  shield  and  sword  and, 
throwing  his  arms  around  Hagen,  closed 
with  him  and  wrestled  till  the  Burgun- 
dian's  last  strength  gave  way  and  he  could 
bind  him  for  safety. 

Then  came  King  Gunther's  turn.  His 
splendid  courage  and  skill  in  arms  still 
held  out  through  a  long  combat,  until  he 
too  was  wounded,  then  disarmed  and 
bound  like  Hagen.  It  went  against  the 
noble  Dietrich's  heart  to  treat  two  such 
heroes  in  such  unknightly  wise,  but  he 
knew  that,  wounded  as  they  were,  they 
would,  if  free  of  limb,  slay  any  man  they 
came  across. 

Dietrich  took  his  two  prisoners  where 
Kriemhilde  sat.  She  made  no  sign,  but 
merely  spoke  : 

"  King  Gunther,  you  are  very  wel- 
come." 

To  which  he  replied  : 

"  I  would  thank  you  for  your  greeting, 
royal  sister,  were  it  meant  in  kindness. 
But  knowing,  O  Queen,  the  temper  of 
your  mood,  I  must  even  take  it  as  a 
bitter  mockery." 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        197 

Then  said  the  King  of  Bern  : 

"  Most  gracious,  royal  lady,  never  yet 
were  such  heroes  taken  prisoners  in 
knightly  single  combat  as  these  I  here 
entrust  unto  your  care.  Let  my  friend- 
ship and  services  speak  for  them  and 
gain  them  favour  in  your  eyes." 

Kriemhilde  promised  with  gracious 
mien.  Then,  when  Dietrich,  with  tears 
in  his  eyes,  had  taken  leave  of  them,  as 
he  thought,  for  a  short  time,  she  did  a 
wicked,  shameful  deed.  For  all  woman- 
hood was  now  dead  in  her. 

She  had  the  two  locked  up  separately. 
Then  she  went  into  Hagen's  prison  and 
spoke  to  him  shortly  and  sternly : 

"If  you  will  restore  to  me  what  you 
have  robbed  me  of,  you  may,  for  Dietrich's 
sake,  go  back  alive  to  Burgundy. 

Grim  Hagen  answered  as  briefly  and 
sternly  : 

"  Lady,  you  are  wasting  your  words.  I 
have  sworn  an  oath,  not  to  tell  where  the 
treasure  lies  hid.  So  long  as  one  of  my 
liege  lords  is  living,  no  one  shall  have  it." 

Kriemhilde  went  out  and  ordered  Gun- 


198  Siegfried 

ther  to  be  put  to  death,  and  his  head  cut 
off.  That  bloody  head  she  then  took  up 
by  the  hair  and  carried  it  in  to  Hagen. 

When  the  hapless  prisoner  beheld  his 
beloved  lord's  head,  he  drew  himself  up 
and  spoke  with  cold  contempt : 

"  All  has  come  about  as  I  foresaw. 
Thou  hast  now  accomplished  thy  fell  pur- 
pose. The  noble  King  of  Burgundy  is 
dead.  Dead  are  young  Giselher,  and 
Gernot  the  strong.  No  one  now  knows 
the  treasure's  hiding-place  save  God  alone 
and  me.  And  never,  thou  fiend  of  a  wo- 
man, shall  it  be  known  to  thee." 

"  Then,"  she  cried,  "  of  all  that  thou 
hast  taken  from  me,  I  shall  keep  at  least 
my  Siegfried's  sword,  which  he  wore  the 
last  time  I  ever  saw  him." 

She  spoke ;  and  quick  as  thought  she 
drew  Balmung  from  the  scabbard  and,  lift- 
ing it  high,  struck  off  Hagen's  head. 
King  Etzel  saw — but  it  was  done  before 
he  could  stay  her  arm. 

"  Oh  woe  !  "  he  cried,  "  that  one  of  the 
bravest  champions  who  ever  fought  in 
battle  and  carried  shield  should  fall  thus 


Kriemhilde's  Revenge        199 

by  a  woman's  hand !  Much  as  I  hated 
him,  I  cannot  but  sorrow  for  him." 

Old  Hildebrand  then  said  : 

"It  shall  not  profit  her  that  she  suc- 
ceeded in  killing  him.  Although  he  slew 
many  of  my  friends  and  put  me  myself  in 
danger  of  my  life,  I  will  avenge  him,  for 
he  was  a  brave  man." 

With  this  he  sprang  on  Kriemhilde  and 
smote  her  with  his  sword.  She  gave  one 
cry  and  fell  dead  among  the  dead. 

Dietrich  and  Etzel  wept  aloud,  and  their 
friends  raised  a  piteous  wail  to  Heaven. 

This  is  the  Lay  of  the  Nibelungs — the 
story  of  Siegfried,  the  hero  of  the  North, 
and  of  Kriemhilde's  great  revenge.  As 
for  the  Nibelung  treasure,  it  was  never 
heard  of  from  that  day  to  this.  There  is 
a  spot  on  the  Rhine  where  popular  tradi- 
tion will  have  it  that  the  deep  hole  is,  in 
the  bottom  of  the  river,  into  which  the 
hoard  was  sunk.  But  we  may  be  very 
sure  that  it  will  never  be  explored  and 
that  the  accursed  gold  will  do  no  more 
mischief  in  the  world. 


NOTE  ON  THE  "  NIBELUNGENLIED  " 

WHO  wrote  the  Lay  of  the  Nibelungs  ? 
There  has  been  no  lack  of  curi- 
osity, of  conjecture,  concerning  this  ques- 
tion, and  it  is  always  in  a  tone  of  regret 
that  critics  and  historians  admit  that  it 
must  remain  unanswered.  As  if  it  mat- 
tered !  Do  we  ask  after  the  names  of 
those  who  wrote  the  folk-songs  and  folk- 
ballads,  words  and  music  ?  Besides,  they 
were  never  written,  neither  was  the  epic 
— they  were  written  down,  the  songs  pro- 
bably unaltered,  for  music  and  lyric  are 
spontaneous ;  the  epic  was  put  into  shape 
in  the  process,  which  may  have  beguiled 
the  long  leisures  of  the  cloister,  the  briefer 
ones  of  court  life — or  of  camp  and  march. 
Possibly  all  these.  For  it  is  very  certain 
that  the  Lay,  as  we  have  it,  is  the  work 
of  more  than  one  pen.  This  is  shown  by 


Note  on  the  "  Nibelungenlied  "  201 

the  unequal  merit  of  the  several  parts, 
some  of  which  drag  noticeably  as  regards 
interest  of  incident,  spirited  narrative,  and 
dramatic  vividness  of  detail ;  but  it  is  even 
more  evident  from  certain  contradictions 
which  strike  the  reader  of  the  unabridged 
poem,  and  from  the  differences  between 
the  three  extant  complete  manuscripts, 
which  are  not  even  all  of  equal  length. 

Of  these  manuscripts,  docketed  A,  B, 
and  C,  respectively,  two  are  dated  from  the 
thirteenth  century  ;  the  third  is  even  more 
recent,  and  bears  the  stamp  of  rehandling 
by  some  follower  of  the  artificial  school 
known  as  "  Court-poets  "(Hofische  Poesie). 
MS.  A  is  to  be  found  in  the  public  lib- 
rary at  Munich,  while  B  reposes  in  the 
library  of  the  famous  Abbey  of  St.  Gall 
in  Switzerland  (not  far  south  of  the  Lake 
of  Constance- Bodensee).  Some  critics 
consider  A  as  the  oldest  and  most  authen- 
tic MS.,  while  others  give  the  preference 
to  B.  The  former  have  on  their  side  the 
weighty  authority  of  Lachmann,  a  follower 
of  the  so-called  "ballad-theory"  in  epic 
poetry,  initiated  by  the  great  Wolf, — a 


202  Siegfried 

theory  which  denies  all  individual  author- 
ship to  the  national  epics,  deriving  them 
entirely  from  old  folk-ballads,  recited  by 
itinerant  minstrels  and,  in  the  course 
of  time,  more  or  less  loosely  strung  to- 
gether and  written  down.  Although  car- 
ried by  some  over-zealous  disciples  to 
unjustifiable  lengths,  the  "  ballad-theory  " 
(Lieder-Theorie),  is  in  so  far  universally  ac- 
cepted, as  it  accounts  for  the  materials  out 
of  which  national  epics  elaborated  them- 
selves until  the  time  when  they  were  ripe 
for  the  skilled  hands — one  or  a  few — 
which  were  to  sift,  sort,  order  them,  and 
re-cast  them  into  a  harmonious  literary 
whole.  If  these  "  hands  "  happened  to 
have  genius  besides,  like  the  problematic 
Greek  whom  we  call  Homer,  and,  in  a 
lesser  degree,  the  unknown  poets  of 
several  portions  of  the  Nibelungenlied — 
so  much  the  better  for  posterity. 

The  heroic  and  mythic  material  out  of 
which  the  Lay  grew  is  not  far  to  seek. 
The  cycle  of  Northern  Sagas  preserved  in 
that  marvellous  Edda  which  so  strangely 
came  to  light  in  remote  Iceland,  the  last 


Jnirersitv  cf  Toi  Ar^ 


Note  on  the  "  Nibelungenlied  "  203 

— and  late — stronghold  of  Northern  pa- 
ganism, in  the  very  thirteenth  century  of 
which  the  two  principal  Nibelung  manu- 
scripts bear  the  date,  tells  us  all  about 
Sigurd  the  demigod,  with  his  magic  sword, 
Brynhilde  the  Valkyrie,  fair  Gudrun  and 
her  brothers,  Gunnar  and  Hogni,  by  the 
Rhine — and  those  earlier  happenings  in 
the  world  of  the  gods  and  giants,  by  which 
we  trace  the  whole  wonderful  phantasma- 
goria to  the  primeval,  universal  nature- 
myth  of  sun  and  earth,  spring  and  winter. 
But  surely  when  Christian  minstrels,  in 
Christian  castles  and  courts,  sang  or  re- 
cited this  or  that  incident  from  the  advent- 
ures of  the  Christian  hero,  Siegfried  of 
the  Netherlands, — at  the  Christian  court 
of  Gunther,  King  of  Burgundy, — his  win- 
ning of  Brunhilde,  the  fierce  maiden  of 
Iceland,  for  his  friend, — his  own  wooing 
and  wedding  of  the  gentle  Kriemhilde, 
that  friend's  sister,  etc., — they  were  all  un- 
conscious of  the  heathen,  mythico-heroic 
substratum,  which  yet  is  very  percepti- 
ble in  the  finished  poem  up  to  the  kill- 
ing of  Siegfried  by  Hagen,  i.  e.,  through 


204  Siegfried 

the  first  half  of  it.  Nothing  here  is  his- 
toric but  the  setting — the  court  and  chiv- 
alry of  Burgundy  in  the  fifth  century  A.D., — 
and  the  name  of  Gunther.  It  is  probable 
that  this  choice  of  time  and  place  was  sug- 
gested to  the  unconscious  modernisers  of 
the  material  by  a  mere  similarity  of  names  : 
Gunnar — Gunther,  the  "  Gundicarius  "  of 
the  Latin  chroniclers,  who  was  killed  in 
437,  in  a  hard-fought  and  bloody  battle, 
by  Huns,  probably  led  by  Attila,  with  (it 
is  said)  twenty  thousand  of  his  own  people. 
This  Gundicarius — really  Gundahari,  later 
changed  into  Gunther,  was  the  founder 
of  the  first  German  kingdom  on  land  be- 
longing to  the  Roman  Empire.  No  won- 
der if  such  a  personality  and  such  an  event 
became  matter  for  minstrelsy — nor  if,  in 
the  course  of  time,  both  became  trans- 
formed and  absorbed  into  the  older,  vaster, 
and  more  universally  national  epic  material. 
The  connexion,  however,  between  Gun- 
ther and  his  vanquisher,  Attila,  exists  al- 
ready in  the  original  Sigurd-saga.  There 
also  Atli  (Attila),  King  of  the  Huns,  weds 
the  hero's  widow  (Gudrun)  and  causes  the 


Note  on  the  "  Nibelungenlied  "  205 

death  of  her  two  brothers,  Gunnar  and 
Hogni  (the  Hagen  of  the  Lay),  by 
treacherously  luring  them  to  his  court  for 
a  friendly  visit,  then  falling  upon  them  and 
their  retinue  with  overpowering  numbers. 
The  historical,  normal  nature  of  the  event 
— war  for  conquest — being  obliterated,  it 
became  necessary  to  supply  a  motive  for 
the  main  fact  which  survived — the  killing 
of  Gunnar  by  Atli ;  and  the  most  plausi- 
ble, nay  lawful  motive  which  suggested 
itself  in  those  ages  was  revenge.  So, 
with  the  delicious  incongruity  characteris- 
tic of  mediaeval  story-telling,  Atli,  King 
of  the  Huns,  (the  Etzel  of  the  Lay) 
became  the  brother  of  the  Heaven-born 
war-maiden  Brynhilde,  whose  dereliction 
by  Siegfried  for  Gudrun,  (though  uncon- 
scious, owing  to  a  magic  potion  producing 
oblivion),  he,  after  many  years,  avenges — 
not  on  Gudrun,  a  woman  and  his  wife, 
but  on  her  next  of  kin,  a  proceeding  en- 
tirely in  accordance  with  the  Northmen's 
ancient  moral  code.  Gudrun  in  her  turn, 
and  quite  as  properly,  avenges  her  brothers, 
but  with  hideous  refinement  of  barbarity : 


206  Siegfried 

Medea-like,  she  kills  with  her  own  hand 
her  and  Atli's  two  children,  serves  their 
hearts  at  supper  to  the  unconscious  father, 
and,  after  seeing  him  partake  of  the  horri- 
ble food,  murders  him  in  his  cups.  This 
last  is  another  of  those  unexpected  touches 
of  history,  or  at  least  historic  tradition  : 
for  the  Goths  would  have  it  that  Attila 
was  murdered  by  a  beautiful  young  Ger- 
man captive,  with  whom  he  was  so  infatu- 
ated as  to  make  her  his  wife,  almost  at  his 
wedding  feast.  They  gave  the  girl's  name 
as  "  Ildico  " — which  of  course  is  no  other 
than  "Hilde";  and  herewith  we  have 
the  connecting  link  between  the  Gudrun 
of  the  older  saga,  and  the  "  Kriem/2z7dfc  " 
of  the  finished  Lay.  In  the  latter,  too, 
the  motive  for  the  slaughter  of  the  Bur- 
gundians  at  Attila's  (Etzel's)  court  is  sup- 
plied more  plausibly  by  the  murder  of 
Siegfried,  whose  widow  is  his  natural 
avenger.  So  the  final  tragedy  is  brought 
about  by  her,  not  by  Etzel,  who  is  only 
involved  in  it ;  the  greatest  horror  of  it 
is  thus  somewhat  mitigated,  inasmuch  as 
we  are  spared  Gudrun's  unnatural  crimes, 


Note  on  the  "  Nibelungenlied  "  207 

Kriemhilde's  and  Etzel's  child  being  slain 
indeed,  but  by  Hagen,  in  retaliation  of  the 
first  attack  on  his  friends.  Besides,  the 
Lay  makes  it  very  clear  that  Kriem- 
hilde  had  at  first  no  intention  to  harm  the 
Burgundians  or  their  chiefs — not  even  her 
brother  Gunther,  whom  she  had  suspected 
of  conniving  at  Siegfried's  death,  but  had 
forgiven — and  that  her  vengeance  is  aimed 
wholly  at  Hagen,  the  villain  whose  brain 
planned  and  whose  hand  executed  the 
foul  deed.  That  she  loses  all  control  of 
the  demon  she  has  conjured  up  and  is 
herself  dragged  into  the  vortex  until  she 
is  caught  in  her  own  murderous  engine, 
and  hurried  along,  half  demented,  through 
more  and  more  crimes,  more  and  more 
innocent  blood,  even  that  of  her  own  dear- 
est friends,  to  the  inexorable  end — that  is 
the  finest  moral  of  the  poem,  a  moral 
which  suggests  the  text,  "Vengeance  is 
mine,  I  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord,"  and 
is  all  the  more  effective  that  it  emanates 
spontaneously  from  the  events  and  char- 
acters, instead  of  these  being  intentionally 
shaped  to  point  it. 


208  Siegfried 

Next  to  the  Margrave  Rudiger,  the 
noblest  and  most  sympathetic  figure  in 
the  second  part  of  the  Lay  is  the  hero- 
king,  Dietrich  of  Bern ;  an  unmistakably 
historic  one,  no  other  than  Theodoric  the 
Great,  King  of  the  Ostrogoths  (East 
Goths),  surnamed  "  of  Verona  "  (Bern) 
because  of  the  decisive  pitched  battle 
which  he  won  near  that  city  and  which 
made  him  the  master  of  Italy.  His  per- 
sonality and  deeds  impressed  themselves  so 
deeply  on  his  time  and  race  that  he  became 
the  centre  of  an  epic  cycle  of  his  own. 
One  wonders  somewhat  to  find  him  at  the 
court  of  Attila,  since  he  was  born  in  the 
year  of  Attila's  death  (453).  Such  a  slight 
anachronism,  however,  would  not  be  con- 
sidered an  obstacle  by  a  mediaeval  minstrel 
if  the  personage  otherwise  "  fitted  into  " 
his  tale.  It  is  rather  more  puzzling  that 
he  should  be  represented  as  occupying  a 
half-dependent  position  at  the  side  of  the 
King  of  the  Huns,  whose  claim  on  his 
service  as  vassal  he  tacitly  admits,  speak- 
ing of  himself  as  a  "  powerful  king  "  and 
in  the  same  breath  as  a  "  friendless  exile." 


Note  on  the  "  Nibelungenlied  "  209 

The  historical  foundation  of  this  seeming 
inconsistency  must  lie  in  the  fact  that  the 
Ostrogoths,  before  Theodoric  led  them  to 
independence,  then  to  victory  and  con- 
quests, had  been  forced  to  submit  to  At- 
tila  on  certain  onerous  terms,  under  which 
they  were  compelled  to  fight  in  his  hosts, 
probably  as  reluctantly  as  the  contingents 
of  subjected  European  nations  fought  in 
Napoleon's  armies.  However  that  may 
be,  in  the  bloody  battle  of  Chalons,  which 
stemmed  the  tide  of  invasion  and  saved 
the  Christian  West,  the  Ostrogoths  were 
found  fighting  on  the  wrong  side. 

Criticism  of  the  poem  is  not  an  object 
of  this  notice.  Its  greatest  beauties  of  in- 
cident or  character  will  surely  be  found 
self-evident ;  likewise  the  beautiful  or  pa- 
thetic touches  of  detail,  such  as  the  first 
meeting  of  the  two  Queens, — that  of  the 
radiant  young  lovers,  Siegfried  and  Kriem- 
hilde, — the  death  scene  of  Siegfried  in  the 
forest,  when  his  blood  dyes  the  wild-flow- 
ers red,  as  in  Kriemhilde's  dream, — or 
Folker,  the  minstrel-knight,  keeping  sad 
guard  with  Hagen,  and  softly  playing  his 


2IO 


Siegfried 


doomed  comrades  to  sleep  with  soothing 
tunes  from  home,  that  they  may  have 
one  last  peaceful  night's  rest  before  the 
morrow's  combat,  the  end  of  which  is  a 
foregone  conclusion.  One  thing  is  certain  : 
there  is  nothing  finer  or  more  pathetic  in 
Homer  than  the  conflict  of  duties  in  Rudi- 
ger's  soul  and  his  despair  when  loyalty 
to  his  King  and  his  oath  compel  him  to  do 
battle  without  quarter  against  those  who 
have  been  his  honoured  guests  and  well- 
beloved  friends, — or  his  last  parley  with 
those  friends,  and  his  deliberate  seeking 
of  expiation  in  death  at  their  hands. 


BEOWULF 
THE   HERO   OF   THE   ANGLO-SAXONS 


211 


PROLOGUE 

AMONG  the  nations  of  the  far  North, 
there  was  none  braver,  more  hardy, 
nobler,  than  the  Danes — none  whose  deeds 
in  war  were  sung  of  more  proudly  at  the 
feasts  of  earl  and  thane.  Many  were  the 
kings  whose  names  came  from  the  in- 
spired lips  of  Skalds,  as  their  hands  struck 
the  stringed  harp,  in  warlike  or  in  mourn- 
ful chords  ;  but  of  these  names  none  were 
treasured  more  reverently  than  those  of 
the  Skyldings,  the  oldest  royal  house 
known  to  Danish  tradition.  It  is  a  very 
long  time — over  a  thousand  years — since 
the  Danes  ruled  in  England.  Yet  even 
then  the  deeds  of  the  Skyldings  were 
tales  of  long  ago.  So  long  ago  that  they 
had  become  mixed  up  with  much  fable ; 
and  especially  the  beginnings  of  the  fa- 
213 


214  Beowulf 

mous  race  were  so  intertwined  with  the 
wonders  of  heathen  Scandinavian  anti- 
quity that  it  has  never  been  possible  to 
decide  exactly  how  much  was  history  and 
how  much  myth. 

The  father  of  the  race,  Skyld  of  the 
Sheaf,  was  great  in  the  memory  of  his 
people.  With  his  nobles — his  ethelings — 
he  had  wrested  lands  and  glory  from  many 
a  neighbouring  tribe — aye,  and  many  a 
distant  one,  too  ;  the  dread  of  him  fell  on 
the  bravest  warriors  ;  he  waxed  great  un- 
der the  sun,  he  flourished  in  peace,  till 
that  every  one  of  the  neighbouring  peo- 
ples over  the  sea  was  constrained  to  obey 
him  and  pay  tribute  ;  and  the  world  said 
of  him  when  he  died,  "  That  was  a  good 
king!" 

Yet  Skyld  was  not  born  to  the  crown. 
In  fact  no  one  knew  anything  of  his  birth 
and  parentage.  He  was  sent,  it  was  said, 
just  when  the  country  had  need  of  a  de- 
liverer and  leader.  He  had  come  one 
day, — so  the  story  ran, — over  the  sea,  in  a 
beautiful  ship,  a  new-born  infant,  bedded 
on  sheaves  of  wheat,  when  the  Danish 


Prologue  2 1 5 

people  were  in  sore  distress  because  of 
the  wickedness  of  the  man  who  was,  at 
the  time,  king  over  them. 

This  man's  name,  Heremod,  went  down, 
unforgotten,  but  unhonoured,  through 
many  a  generation,  a  by-word  for  bad 
monarchs.  He  was,  in  everything,  the  di- 
rect contrary  of  what  a  good  ruler  ought 
to  be.  He  used  his  power,  not  for  his 
nobles'  benefit  or  pleasure,  but  to  deal 
them  wanton  harm  and  even  death.  For 
his  ungovernable  temper  grew  on  him, 
until,  in  his  furious  fits,  he  would  strike 
and  kill,  though  it  were  his  closest  follow- 
ers, his  companions  at  the  board  and  in 
the  battle.  In  his  soul  there  grew  a 
bloodthirsty  passion,  and  he  suffered  the 
penalty  of  his  evil  doings  in  the  estrange- 
ment of  his  friends,  the  settled  dislike  of 
his  people,  until  at  last  they  would  stand 
his  presence  no  longer,  and  he  wandered 
forth  alone,  away  from  all  human  society, 
and  was  never  heard  of  more.  It  was 
then  that  Skyld,  the  mysterious  found- 
ling, the  Heaven-sent,  seized  on  the  gov- 
ernment, brought  order  and  plenty  into 


2i6  Beowulf 

the  land,  and  won  love  from  his  people, 
respect  from  his  foes. 

A  son  was  born  to  King  Skyld  in 
his  prime,  a  beautiful  child,  whom  God 
sent  for  the  people's  comfort  and  solace — 
Beowulf,  sole  heir  to  the  throne.  From 
his  earliest  years  he  was  full  of  promise, 
a  model  of  what  a  young  chief  should 
be  while  still  in  his  father's  care — 
always  ready  with  gracious  words  and 
open  hand,  so  that  in  his  riper  age  will- 
ing comrades  in  return  were  ready  to 
stand  by  him  in  war,  and  men  gladly 
did  his  bidding.  Then,  surrounded  and 
assisted  by  devoted  friends  who  grew 
up  with  him,  he  was  enabled  to  perform 
deeds  which  filled  the  world  with  praise 
of  him. 

As  for  Skyld,  he  departed,  in  the  ful- 
ness of  time,  ripe  in  honours  and  years, 
to  go  into  the  Master's  keeping.  His 
faithful  comrades  then  carried  him  forth 
to  the  shore  of  the  sea,  as  he  himself  had 
ordered.  The  black,  heavy  earth  should 
have  no  part  in  him  ;  the  sea  had  brought 
him,  the  ever-moving,  many-hued ;  the 


Prologue  217 

sea  should  bear  him  hence,  after  his  long 
years  of  power. 

There  at  anchor  rode  the  ship,  glisten- 
ing fresh,  outward  bound,  fit  for  a  prince. 
Down  they  laid  their  illustrious  dead,  the 
dear  chief  of  the  land,  dispenser  of  boun- 
ties, on  the  lap  of  the  ship,  by  the  mast. 
There  was  great  store  of  precious  things ; 
ornaments  from  remote  parts,  weapons  of 
rare  worth,  mail  armour  finely  wrought, 
and  harness  glittering  in  silver  and  in 
gold  ;  a  multitude  of  treasures,  which  were 
to  pass  with  him  far  away  into  the  watery 
realm.  Furthermore  they  set  by  him  the 
royal  banner,  gold-broidered,  high  over  his 
head.  As  its  folds  unfurled  and  glittered 
in  the  breeze,  it  told  the  skies,  and  the 
sun,  and  the  stars  of  night,  that  a  King 
went  forth  into  the  world,  on  his  last  voy- 
age. They  set  the  helm,  and  gave  him 
over  to  the  ocean,  sad  at  heart,  with  tear- 
dimmed  eyes,  and  silent  in  their  mourn- 
ing. And  Who  received  that  burthen — 
no  man  under  heaven,  be  it  priest  or  chief- 
tain or  wise  seer,  can  ever  tell  or  know. 

Thus  Skyld  of  the  Sheaf  was  honoured 


218 


Beowulf 


in  death  after  the  manner  of  the  mighty 
dead  of  oldest  times  among  the  strong- 
hearted  sons  of  the  North.  From  the 
Unknown  he  came  and  into  the  Unknown 
was  borne  away. 


LAY  I 
GRENDEL 

I 
HEOROT 

THEN  Beowulf  of  the  Skyldings  sat  in 
the  seat  of  his  father,  loved  of  his 
people,  for  a  long  time  famous  among  the 
nations,  and  was  succeeded  in  turn  by  his 
son.  The  royal  race  of  the  Skyldings 
prospered  greatly,  and  when  the  crown 
came  to  his  grandson  Hrothgar,  its  great- 
ness seemed  assured  for  all  time.  Hroth- 
gar was  a  youth  of  goodly  parts  ;  brave 
and  ambitious  in  war,  yet  delighting  in 
the  gentle  works  of  peace,  a  born  com- 
mander always.  So  that  his  brothers  and 
cousins  gladly  took  him  for  their  leader, 
219 


220  Beowulf 

and  a  young  brood  of  devoted  clansmen 
grew  up  around  him,  valiant  in  battle, 
merry  companions  at  the  board.  With 
these  he  did  some  mighty  deeds,  winning 
renown  and  riches,  when  they  were  young 
together,  and  as  together  they  grew  old, 
he  loved  to  sit  with  them  at  the  feast,  en- 
joying well-earned  rest,  rehearsing  the 
toils  and  joys  of  the  brave  old  days,  and 
listening  to  sweet  minstrelsy  from  the  lips 
of  God-inspired  bards. 

Now  Hrothgar  was  very  wealthy  and 
his  comrades  were  too  many  for  an  ordi- 
nary hall,  even  that  of  a  king's  palace. 
So  he  bethought  him  of  having  men  build 
for  him  a  great  banqueting-hall,  greater 
than  the  children  of  men  had  ever  heard 
tell  of,  that  he  might  spend  there  happy, 
careless  days,  dealing  out  freely  to  old 
and  young  the  goods  that  God  had  blessed 
him  with. 

The  fame  of  the  work  spread  rapidly 
and  widely,  and  more  than  one  tribe  curi- 
ously watched  its  progress.  It  came  to 
an  end  with  a  quickness  which  surprised 
all  men,  and  there  the  fair  structure  stood, 


Heorot  221 

towering  aloft  into  the  blue  air,  the  great- 
est of  all  hall  buildings,  a  gathering  place 
for  happy  men,  defying  destruction  except 
from  the  irresistible  might  of  fire.  It  was 
called  Heorot — Hart-hall — because  of  the 
noble  crown  of  antlers  which  ran  round 
the  eaves  of  the  building, — and  the  open- 
ing banquet  was  an  event  long  remem- 
bered in  the  land,  from  the  bountiful 
hospitality  dispensed  by  the  King  and  the 
wealth  of  gifts,  in  rings  and  other  precious 
things,  which  he  gave  away  with  almost 
reckless  lavishness  on  this  occasion. 


II 

GRENDEL 

BUT  there  was  one  apart  from  all  this 
joy  who  was  consumed  with  malice 
and  with  hatred,  who  vowed  to  turn  the 
joy  into  direst  grief,  the  shouts  of  glad- 
ness into  moans  and  wails,  ere  many  days 
had  come  and  gone.  True,  no  human 
wight  was  he,  but  one  of  the  unholy  brood 
of  monsters,  accursed  of  God,  who  dwell 
in  moors,  fens,  and  swamps,  remote  from 
God-fearing  men,  ever  bent  on  doing  hell's 
work  of  harm  and  destruction — the  unblest 
posterity  (so  wise  men  tell)  of  Cain,  the 
first  shedder  of  innocent  blood. 

To  this  Grendel,  this  outcast  creature, 
dwelling  in  darkness,  it  was  torture  un- 
bearable to  hear  the  sounds  of  rejoicing 
day  by  day,  as  they  came,  borne  by  the 


Grendel  223 

wind  to  him,  across  the  moor — the  tender 
sighing  of  the  harp,  the  ringing  song  of 
the  minstrel. 

Once,  one  skilled  in  holy  song  told  of 
the  creation  of  the  world  :  how  the  Al- 
mighty' made  the  earth,  radiant  with 
beauty,  and  the  waters  that  encompass  it, 
delighting  in  His  work;  and  how  He  OP 
dained  the  sun  and  the  moon,  for  light  to 
the  dwellers  on  the  earth,  and  made  the 
woods  beautiful  with  boughs  and  leaves ; 
and  how  He  put  life  into  all  the  things 
that  breathe  and  move. 

Grimly  the  wicked  one  hearkened  to  the 
strain,  which  fed  his  unholy  fury  until  it 
craved  for  slaughter,  fell,  immediate. 

He  set  out  that  very  night,  as  soon  as 
darkness  descended,  made  straight  for 
the  lofty  hall.  He  did  not  much  fear  de- 
tection, for  he  knew  that  after  such  a 
carousal  the  warriors  would  be  overcome 
with  sleep.  And  truly,  there  they  lay,  in 
the  hall  itself,  with  their  weapons  by  their 
side,  yet  helpless  as  unarmed  women.  He 
went,  and,  in  their  sleep,  seized  and  killed 
thirty  of  the  thanes  ;  then  hied  him  back 


224  Beowulf 

to  his  moor  with  the  war  spoils,  yelling 
with  fierce  joy. 

Then  was  there  a  great  cry  in  the  grey 
morning.  The  voice  of  weeping  was 
raised  where  but  now  the  song  of  gladness 
had  filled  the  air.  Dazed  and  woe-begone, 
the  King  sat  in  his  high  place,  and  wept 
for  his  thanes.  But  when,  the  very  next 
night,  Grendel  returned  and  committed 
even  greater  murder,  and  again  and 
again  after  that,  terror  seized  on  them  all. 
Men  kept  in  close  hiding  from  nightfall 
to  break  of  day,  then  gradually  left  their 
own  well-appointed  homes,  sleeping  in 
barns  or  in  the  open,  away  from  dwell- 
ings, wherever  they  thought  they  could 
best  bestow  themselves  for  safety ;  but 
naught  availed  to  save.  For  twelve  win- 
ters' space  the  baleful  fiend  warred  single- 
handed  against  the  Skyldings  and  their 
friends,  till  all  the  best  houses  stood  de- 
serted. Unbounded  were  the  sorrows  of 
that  dreadful  time,  unspeakable  the  dis- 
tress, and  the  fame  thereof  was  carried  to 
foreign  lands  in  ballads  and  moving  tales. 
Men  dared  not  go  within  miles  of  the 
fated  moor ;  so  travel  was  stopped,  trib- 


Grendel  225 

ute  remained  unpaid  ;  for  the  foul  ruffian, 
a  dark  shadow  of  death  prowled  about 
and  lay  in  wait.  Of  night  he  continually 
held  the  misty  moors ;  and  no  one  knew 
what  way  the  hellish  birth  moved  in  his 
rounds,  for  never  was  the  monster  seen  of 
man.  As  to  Heorot,  the  richly  decorated 
hall,  Grendel  made  that  his  headquarters, 
and  occupied  it  every  dark  night.  Only 
he  was  never  able  to  come  near  the  throne, 
because  it  stood  on  a  consecrated  spot, 
and  was  hallowed  by  priestly  benison. 

A  great  affliction,  heart-breaking,  was 
this  that  had  come  on  the  Skyldings  and 
their  friends.  Many  a  time  and  oft  did 
the  best  and  wisest  sit  in  council,  seeking 
what  were  best  be  done  in  these  awful 
straits.  So  sorely  were  they  bested,  that 
they  forgot  at  times  that  they  were  Christ- 
ians, and  more  than  once  craved  help 
against  the  goblin  visitant  from  the  old 
heathen  gods,  vowing  sacrifices  at  their 
secret  shrines. 

Thus  was  King  Hrothgar  perpetually 
tossed  with  the  trouble  of  that  time,  and 
not  all  his  wisdom  availed  to  ward  off  the 
evil. 


Ill 

A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 

THERE  lived  at  that  time  among  the 
Goths,  at  the  right  hand  of  their  King, 
Hygelac,  a  young  thane,  his  cousin,  of  the 
name  of  Beowulf.  He  was,  as  his  name  be- 
tokened, one  of  the  Skylding  race,  but  only 
in  the  female  line.  Young  as  he  was,  he 
had  won  for  himself  a  name  of  wide  re- 
nown as  a  hero  of  high  achievement  and 
the  mightiest  among  all  the  men  of  his  time. 
Now,  this  brave  thane,  in  his  distant 
home,  heard  of  the  misdeeds  of  Grendel, 
and  his  heart  ached  for  the  aged  King,  the 
evening  of  whose  days  was  clouded  over 
by  such  unheard-of  tribulation.  He  made 
up  his  mind  to  help,  and  sued  to  King 
Hygelac  for  permission  to  undertake  the 
venture  with  a  few  picked  comrades.  His 
friends  of  the  King's  council  and  board 
226 


A  Friend  in  Need  227 

praised  the  gallant  youth  to  the  skies. 
They  egged  on  his  daring  spirit,  they  took 
omens  and  consulted  signs  on  his  behalf ; 
but  they  did  not  begrudge  him  the  advent- 
ure, wise  men  that  they  were,  even  though 
he  was  dear  to  them. 

Beowulf  ordered  a  good  ship  to  be  made 
ready  for  him,  to  [take  him  over  the  road 
that  swans  travel.*  j  He  selected  fourteen 
champions  among  the  Goths,  the  keenest 
he  could  find,  and  went  to  sea  with  them, 
having  made  sure  of  a  skilful,  experienced 
pilot,  who  knew  the  shallows  and  the 
deeps.  Like  a  bird  the  good  ship,  tight- 
timbered,  slender-necked,  sped  before  the 
wind,  and  made  such  way  that  on  the  next 
day  already  the  eager  voyagers  saw  land, 
gleaming  cliffs,  hills  towering,  headlands 
stretching  out  to  sea :  the  passage  was 
ended.  Lightly  the  ethelings  sprang 
ashore,  made  fast  the  ship,  shook  out  their 
garments,  saw  to  their  arms,  and  gave 
thanks  to  God  for  that  their  seafaring  had 
been  easy. 

1  Literally  true  :  the  North  Sea  is  the  "  path  of  the  swans" 
and  to  this  day  wild  swans  abound  on  the  coast  of  Norway. 


IV 

THE  WARDEN 

WHILE  Beowulf  and  his  friends  were 
busy  with  their  landing,  thinking 
only  of  the  work  before  them,  the  Skyl- 
dings'  warden,  he  whose  duty  it  was  to 
guard  the  sea-cliffs  and  report  any  stran- 
gers that  hove  in  sight,  espied  them  from 
his  high  watch-place.  Moved  by  curiosity 
as  much  as  by  duty,  he  rode  down  to  the 
beach  in  great  excitement,  brandishing  a 
powerful,  huge  lance,  and  demanded,  in  no 
gentle  terms,  to  know  the  strangers'  errand 
and  nationality,  before  they  could  be  al- 
lowed to  proceed  any  farther  into  the  land 
of  the  Danes. 

Beowulf  at  once  stepped  forth  and  spoke 
up  for  all,  with  a  dignity  and  courtesy  which 
shamed  the  rude  officer  into  more  manly 


The  Warden  229 

behaviour.  He  gave  a  full  account  of  him- 
self, then  concluded  : 

"  We  have  come  with  friendly  intent  to 
visit  thy  lord.  We  have  a  great  message 
to  him  ;  nor  is  there,  to  my  mind,  any  need 
to  keep  it  dark.  For  it  is  no  secret  that 
the  Skyldings  are  in  great  tribulation  be- 
cause of  a  mysterious  fiend,  who  has  been 
vexing  them  for  years  with  h^s  .nightly  de- 
predations. Now  I  can  teach  Hrothgar  thte 
remedy,  and  bring  back  better  times.  This 
I  say  in  all  sincerity  of  heart." 

To  this  speech  the  warden  replied  in 
greatly  altered  tones : 

"  I  gather  from  what  I  hear  that  this  is 
a  friendly  band  come  to  visit  the  lord  of 
the  Skyldings.  But  it  is  a  faithful  ser- 
vant's part  to  question  sharply  and  to  gain 
certainty  on  all  points  before  he  commits 
his  lord.  Keep  your  arms  and  march  on  : 
I  will  guide  you.  Likewise  will  I  com- 
mand my  kinsmen  thanes  honourably  to 
keep  against  every  foe  your  vessel  here 
on  the  beach." 

Upon  this  invitation  the  troop  gaily  left 
their  ship  riding  safely  at  her  anchor,  and 


230  Beowulf 

eagerly  pressed  forward,  until  their  eyes 
beheld  the  far-famed  hall,  Heorot  the  gold- 
roofed,  most  renowned  of  all  mansions  un- 
der the  sky.  Then  the  warden  pointed 
with  his  hand  to  the  road  which  led  straight 
to  it,  wheeled  round  his  horse,  and  spoke 
a  parting  word  : 

"  It  is  time  for  me  to  go.  May  the  all- 
wielding  Father  graciously  keep  you  safe 
in  adventures  !  As  for  me,  I  must  hie  me 
back  to  the  shore,  to  keep  my  watch  against 
foes  from  the  sea." 


THE  ARRIVAL 

THE  road  was  stone-paven,  and  so 
straight,  there  was  no  need  of  a  guide. 
Beowulf  and  his  band  marched  up  to  the 
Hall  in  grim,  warlike  guise,  their  burnished 
corslets  shining,  the  iron  rings  of  their 
mail  shirts  clanging  loud.  When  they 
reached  the  mansion,  the  weary  men  set 
down  their  broad  shields,  leaning  them 
against  the  wall,  and  seated  themselves  in 
silence  on  the  bench  before  the  entrance, 
after  stacking  their  spears  together,  ready 
to  their  hand.  Thus  they  waited  in  dig- 
nified silence  for  somebody  to  come  from 
King  Hrothgar  and  challenge  them. 

Very  soon  an  officer  appeared  and  put 
the     customary    questions,    to    which    he 
added  some  respectful  compliments  : 
231 


232  Beowulf 

"  I  am,"  he  said,  "  Hrothgar's  herald 
and  esquire.  Never  saw  I  foreigners  of 
loftier  mien.  I  think  that  ye  have  come 
to  visit  Hrothgar,  not  from  desperate  fort- 
unes, but  bound  on  some  high  undertak- 
ing." 

To  which  the  proud  leader  replied  with 
gallant  bearing : 

"  We  are  Hygelac's  own  table-fellows. 
My  name  is  Beowulf.  I  will  myself  ex- 
pound mine  errand  to  thy  lord,  if  so  he 
deign  to  admit  us  to  his  presence." 

The  officer,  Wulfgar  by  name,  hastened 
forthwith  to  where  Hrothgar  sat,  old  and 
hoary,  and  bent  with  grief,  amid  his  de- 
spondent warriors,  and  not  only  told  of. 
the  valiant  guests  from  the  land  of  the 
Goths  and  their  petition,  but  advised  him 
to  give  them  a  friendly  reception.  In  the 
deep  distress  of  these  sorry  times,  it 
seemed  as  though  any  change  must  be  for 
the  better,  and  every  stranger  must  bring 
hope. 

The  sad  old  King  brightened  at  mention 
of  Beowulf's  name,  whose  father  he  had 
known  in  the  dear  departed  days  of  golden 


The  Arrival  233 

youth,  and  whose  own  renown  he  pleasur- 
ably  recalled. 

"  This  son,"  he  said,  "  I  mind  him  well. 
I  knew  him  when  he  was  a  page.  He  has 
grown  into  a  valiant  campaigner.  It  is 
said  that  he  has  thirty  men's  strength  in 
his  handgrip.  Surely  God  of  His  grace 
hath  sent  him  to  us  in  our  great  need. 
Bid  him  and  his  men,  one  and  all,  into  my 
presence  straight,  with  every  martial  hon- 
our. Say  to  them,  moreover,  in  words, 
that  they  are  welcome." 


VI 


THE  RECEPTION  AND  THE  PLEDGE 

WULFGAR,  nothing  loth,  took  the 
royal  message  to  the  waiting 
guests  and  ushered  them  into  the  royal 
presence  in  full  warlike  equipment,  helm 
on  head,  sword  on  hip.  Beowulf,  tall  and 
commanding,  his  corslet  of  cunningly  link- 
ed mail  shining  as  a  network  of  lights, 
took  his  stand  before  the  King,  and,  with 
firm  eye  and  becoming  assurance,  spoke 
thus  at  length  of  what  was  nearest  to  his 
and  the  Danes'  hearts  : 

"To  Hrothgar  hail !  I  am  King  Hyge- 
lac's  cousin-thane.  Many  a  deed  of  daring 
was  mine  in  youngsterhood.  All  that  ye 
suffer  here  from  Grendel  became  known 
to  us  in  Gothland.  Seafaring  men  told  us 
how  that  this  hall,  this  most  princely  fabric, 
.234 


The  Reception  and  the  Pledge    235 

stands  useless  and  empty  each  night,  as 
soon  as  the  star  of  day  is  hidden  from 
view.  Then  did  my  people,  the  wisest 
and  best  among  them,  urge  me  that  I 
should  visit  thee,  O  royal  Hrothgar.  Be- 
cause they  knew  the  strength  of  my  arm 
of  their  own  knowledge  :  time  and  again 
they  had  seen  me  return  from  the  field 
battered  by  foes,  but  never  beaten  ;  five 
monsters  I  bound  on  land,  and  in  the 
waves  I  slew  many  a  nicor1  in  the  night- 
time. And  now  I  am  bound  to  champion 
thy  quarrel,  O  King,  single-handed, 
against  Grendel,  the  evil  giant.  But  one 
petition  I  have,  which  thou,  O  Shelter  of 
the  Danes,  wilt  not  refuse  to  one  who  is 
come  from  far  to  serve  thee :  it  is  that  I 
may  have  the  task  alone — I  and  my  band 
of  earls — to  purge  Heorot.  And  as  I 
have  learnt  that  the  terrible  one,  out  of 
sheer  boastfulness,  despises  the  use  of 
weapons,  so  I  too  will  forego  them,  and 
bear  not  sword,  nor  spear,  nor  broad 

l"  Nicors"  are  mischievous  water-sprites,  who  delight  in 
making  trouble  for  ships  and  sailors.  The  feminine  in  Ger- 
man is  "  Nixe,"  the  beautiful  water-maiden  who  lures  mortals 
down  into  her  watery  abode. 


236  Beowulf 

shield  to  my  battle  with  him  ;  but  with 
handgrip  alone  will  I  meet  him,  foe  to 
foe,  and  him  of  the  two  whom  the  Lord 
doometh,  let  grim  Death  take  for  his  own. 

"  Should  the  doom  fall  upon  me,"  Be- 
owulf went  on,  "thou  wilt  not,  O  King,  be 
put  to  the  trouble  of  building  a  mound 
over  my  head.  For  if  all  tales  of  Grendel 
be  true,  he  will  bear  away  the  gory  corpse, 
to  feast  on  it  in  his  lonely  moor.  But  this 
do  thou  for  love  of  me  ;  send  to  Hygelac 
the  matchless  armour  that  protects  my 
breast — it  is  a  work  of  Weland,  cunning- 
est  of  smiths,  and  such  are  not  made  now- 
adays ;  meet  gift  from  a  departing  friend." 


VII 

THE  FEAST 

rthis  speech,  manly  and  heroic,  H roth- 
gar  made  reply  in  many  words — for 
age  is  not  sparing  of  its  breath  in  words. 
He  gave  thanks  to  the  God-sent  young 
champion  ;  he  went  back  to  the  deeds  of 
his  youth,  in  company  with  his  brothers 
and  many  brave  comrades  long  dead  ;  he 
dwelt  on  the  horrors  of  these  latter  years. 
Then,  at  length  bethinking  himself  that 
the  wayfarers  must  be  a-weary  and  a- 
hungered,  he  said  to  the  chief : 

"  But  now  sit  thee  down  to  the  banquet 
with  thy  fellows,  and  merrily  share  the 
feast  as  the  spirit  moves  thee." 

A  table  was  promptly  cleared  for  the 
Goths.  Thither  they  went,  and  sat  in  the 
pride  of  their  strength.  A  thane  at- 
237 


238  Beowulf 

tended  to  their  wants,  going  from  one  to 
the  other  with  a  mighty  ale-can  of  hand- 
some workmanship.  Again  and  again  he 
poured  out  the  golden  ale.  At  times  a 
minstrel's  voice  rose  in  Heorot,  ringing 
and  clear,  and  there  was  right  brave  merri- 
ment and  good-will  in  this  mixed  company 
of  Goths  and  Danes. 

Yet  was  there  one  eye  that  gleamed 
not  with  merriment  and  good-will,  one  head 
that  hatched  no  friendly  thoughts,  because 
the  heart  swelled  with  malice  and  envy. 
Unferth  it  was,  the  King's  own  story-teller, 
who  sat  at  his  feet,  to  be  ready  at  all  times 
to  amuse  him.  He  broached  a  quarrel- 
some  theme — an  adventure  in  Beowulf's 
early  youth,  the  only  contest  in  his  record 
the  issue  of  which,  though  hard  fought, 
might  be  called  doubtful.  For  this  Un- 
ferth was  an  envious  wight,  whose  soul 
grudged  that  any  man  should  achieve 
greater  things  than  himself. 

"  Art  thou  not,"  he  began  tauntingly, 
"  that  same  Beowulf  who  strove  with  Breca 
on  open  sea  in  a  swimming  match,  in  which 
ye  both  wantonly  exposed  your  lives,  and 


The  Feast  239 

no  man,  either  friend  or  foe,  could  turn 
you  from  the  foolish  venture?  A  se'n- 
night  ye  twain  toiled  in  the  realm  of  the 
waters,  and,  if  I  err  not,  he  outdid  thee 
in  swimming-,  for  he  had  greater  strength. 
Wherefore  I  fear  me  much  thou  mayest 
meet  with  sorry  luck  if  thou  darest  to 
bide  here  for  Grendel  for  the  space  of  a 
whole  night." 

Beowulf,  though  angered,  controlled  his 
temper  and  replied  with  great  coolness  : 

"  Big  things  are  these,  friend  Unferth, 
which  thou  hast  spoken  ;  evidently,  good 
ale  has  loosened  thy  wits.  Yes, — Breca 
and  I  used  to  talk  between  ourselves  when 
we  were  pages,  and  brag  each  of  his  prow- 
ess, being  but  youngsters,  and  so  we  made 
up  the  foolish  match  between  us,  and  hav- 
ing made  it,  we  stuck  to  it.  Drawn  sword 
in  hand  we  went  into  the  water  :  we  meant 
to  guard  ourselves  against  sea-monsters 
and  water-sprites.  Five  nights  we  kept 
close  together,  then  the  flood  parted  us. 
It  was  a  dark  night,  freezing  cold,  and  a 
fierce  wind  from  the  north  came  dead 
against  us,  the  waves  running  rough  and 


240  Beowulf 

high.  One  spotty  monster  dragged  me 
to  the  bottom  ;  but  I  did  not  lose  my  grip 
on  my  sword  and  despatched  the  mighty 
sea-brute.  I  know  not  how  many  more  I 
fought  and  killed :  it  was  a  grewsome 
night.  At  last,  light  broke  in  the  east, 
and  the  waves  grew  calmer,  so  I  could  see 
the  headlands,  and  the  sea  cast  me  up  on 
the  shore.  I  escaped  with  my  life,  though 
worn  and  spent,  and  never  heard  I  of 
harder  fight,  or  of  man  sorer  distressed. 
Anyhow,  it  was  my  good  luck  that  I  slew 
with  the  sword  nine  nicors.  So  many 
less  were  left  to  play  havoc  with  seafaring 
ships.  Therefore,  methinks  I  may  rightly 
claim  that  I  have  proved  more  sea-prow- 
ess, endured  more  buffetings  from  waves, 
than  any  other  man." 

Thus  Beowulf  told  of  his  youthful  prank. 
Then  turning  upon  Unferth  with  flashing 
eye  and  clouded  brow — 

"  Of  a  sooth,"  he  cried,  "  I  say  to  thee, 
Unferth,  that  never  had  Grendel,  the  foul 
ruffian,  made  up  such  a  tale  of  horrors, 
wrought  such  disgrace  in  Heorot,  if  thy 
spirit  were  as  high  as  thou  wouldst  claim 


The  Feast  241 

for  thyself.  But  he  has  found  out  that 
he  has  not  much  to  fear  from  the  mighty 
Danes  ;  so  he  takes  blackmail,  and  slaugh- 
ters and  feasts  at  his  ease.  But  now  the 
Goth  shall  ere  long  show  him  another  kind 
of  spirit,  and  when  the  light  of  another 
day  rises  over  the  world,  then  shall  all 
who  choose  walk  proudly  into  the  hall, 
with  head  erect." 

This  speech,  so  brave  and  cheery,  glad- 
dened the  old  King's  heart,  and  even  the 
Danes  applauded  it,  although  it  held  a 
bitter  sting :  they  took  it  as  a  well-de- 
served hit  at  the  unmannerly  Unferth. 
So  laughter  greeted  Beowulf's  words, 
music  sounded  again,  jolly  drinking-songs 
filled  the  hall  ;  and  none  seemed  to  re- 
member— although  at  heart  none  forgot 
it — that  night  was  coming  on,  and  what 
it  was  to  bring. 

And  now,  behold !  Hrothgar's  royal 
consort,  Queen  Wealhtheow,  well  versed 
in  ceremonies  and  courtly  lore,  entered 
the  hall,  resplendent  in  cloth  of  gold,  to 
honour  her  husband's  guests  with  a 
gracious  word  and  a  draught  of  sweet 


242  Beowulf 

mead  from  her  own  royal  hands.  Her 
stately  greeting  took  in  all  the  men  in  the 
hall ;  then  she  presented  the  beaker  with 
graceful  obeisance  to  her  lord,  wishing 
him  blithe  at  the  banquet,  and  happy  in 
his  liegemen's  love.  Then  she  went  the 
round  of  the  hall,  to  elder  and  younger, 
and  to  each  she  handed  the  jewelled  cup, 
until  she  came  to  where  Beowulf  was 
sitting  among  the  young  ethelings.  With 
befitting  dignity  she  greeted  the  leader  of 
the  Goths,  as  he  stood  before  her,  thank- 
ing God  with  wise  choice  of  words  that  her 
heart's  desire  had  come  to  pass.  He, 
the  hero  of  many  battles,  took  the  beaker 
from  her  hand,  and,  ere  he  drained  it, 
repeated  his  solemn  pledge  : 

"  When  I  went  on  board  and  sat  in  my 
ship,  as  she  sped  over  the  waters,  with 
this  my  chosen  band,  I  vowed  I  would 
work  out  the  deliverance  of  your  people. 
I  am  bound  as  an  earl  to  fulfil  my  vow,  or 
in  this  hall  to  me£t  my  death  to-night." 

He  quaffed  the  mead,  and  she,  the 
noble  lady,  inclined  her  diademed  head 
as  she  took  from  him  the  cup,  for  his 


The  Feast  243 

words  were  well  to  her  liking.  Then 
slowly,  with  trailing  robes,  she  walked  to 
the  head  of  the  hall,  to  sit  by  her  lord. 

For  some  time  yet  the  banqueting  went 
on  as  merrily  as  ever, — until  the  daylight 
began  to  wane,  when  suddenly  song  and 
laughter  died  on  the  revellers'  lips,  and 
King  Hrothgar  bethought  himself  that  it 
was  time  to  retire,  for  he  knew  that  the 
monster  came  forth  when  shrouding  night 
decends  and  the  creatures  of  darkness  go 
stalking  abroad.  In  silence  all  the  com- 
pany arose. 

Hrothgar  greeted  Beowulf  and  spoke 
solemn  words  : 

"  Never  before,  since  my  hand  lifted 
shield,  did  I  entrust  the  Guard-house  of 
the  Danes  to  any  man, — never  but  now 
to  thee.  Have  and  hold  the  sacred  house 
against  the  foe.  Be  watchful,  valiant,  and 
may  victory  wait  on  thee  !  No  wish  of 
thine  shall  go  unfulfilled  if  thou  dost  per- 
form the  great  work  and  livest  to  tell  it." 

Thus  spoke  Hrothgar  the  Skylding, 
and  gravely  departed  from  the  hall,  with 
his  Queen,  followed  by  his  men. 


VIII 

THE  COMBAT 

SILENTLY  Beowulf  looked  after  the 
Danes  ;  silently  he  began  to  divest 
himself  of  his  armour,  mindful  of  his  vow 
to  fight  the  goblin  bare-handed.  He 
laid  off  his  shining  mail,  his  helmet  and 
his  sword  of  choicest  steel,  and  gave  them 
in  charge  to  his  esquire  ;  then  he  stretched 
himself  on  the  floor  and  laid  his  cheek  on 
a  pillow.  For  the  hall  had  meanwhile 
been  promptly  cleared  of  tables  and 
benches,  which  were  pushed  against  the 
walls,  and  couches  of  soft  pelts  and  rugs 
were  spread  on  the  floor.  His  comrades 
did  likewise.  Not  that  rest  came  to  any 
of  them  at  first  ;  for  not  one  thought  in 
his  heart  he  should  ever  again  see  his 
own  folk,  his  native  land,  the  castle  where 
244 


The  Combat  245 

he  was  nurtured.  But  even  as  they  kept 
turning  these  things  over  in  their  minds, 
their  limbs  relaxed,  their  lids  grew  heavy 
with  very  weariness,  and — they  slept.  All 
slept,  but  one, — and  he  lay  quite  still, 
straining  his  ear  to  listen  and  his  eye  to 
peer  through  the  dim  night. 

And  hark !  tramp,  tramp,  he  came 
marching  from  the  moor, — Grendel,  the 
God-sent  scourge.  Straight  for  the  hall 
he  made  through  the  gloom  :  it  was  not 
the  first  time  he  visited  Hrothgar's  home- 
stead ;  but  never  had  he  met  such  a 
welcome  as  now  awaited  him  there. 

He  came  carelessly  along,  as  one  assured 
of  his  entertainment.  The  door,  though 
fastened  with  bars  of  wrought  iron,  sprang 
open  at  his  touch.  Quickly  he  stepped 
across  the  flagged  floor,  big  with  rage, 
with  eyes  ablaze.  Suddenly  he  perceived 
the  troop  of  strange  warriors,  lying  close 
together,  asleep.  He  laughed  aloud.  He 
gloated  as  he  stood  over  them,  and  thought 
that,  ere  day  came,  the  life  of  each  of  them 
should  have  been  wrenched  from  the  body, 
since  luck  had  sent  him  such  a  treat. 


246  Beowulf 

Beowulf  curbed  his  rage  to  watch  the 
fell  ruffian  and  see  how  he  meant  to  pro- 
ceed. The  delay  was  not  long  :  Grendel 
quickly,  at  one  grab,  seized  a  sleeping 
warrior,  tore  him  up,  crunched  the  bony 
frame,  drank  the  blood  from  the  veins, 
swallowed  the  flesh  in  huge  morsels ;  in 
a  trice  he  had  devoured  the  lifeless  body, 
feet,  hands,  and  all.  Then  he  stepped 
forward  to  where  the  hero  lay,  and  reached 
out  a  hand  to  seize  him  on  his  bed — but 
suddenly  felt  his  arm  held  tight  in  such 
a  grip  as  he  had  never  met  with  from  any 
man  in  all  the  world.  He  knew  at  once 
that  he  was  in  an  evil  plight — in  mortal 
fear  he  strove  to  wrench  himself  free  and 
flee.  This  was  not  the  entertainment  he 
had  been  wont  to  meet  there  in  bygone 
days. 

Now  all  were  awake,  and  the  hall  was 
in  an  uproar.  And  over  at  the  castle,  a 
deadly  panic  came  over  all  the  Danes, 
noble  or  simple,  brave  men  as  they  were. 
Furious  were  both  the  maddened  champ- 
ions ;  the  hall  resounded  with  their  wrest- 
ling. It  was  a  great  wonder  the  building 


The  Combat  247 

did  not  fall  to  the  ground;  only  that  it 
was  inwardly  and  outwardly  made  strong 
with  iron  stanchions,  with  such  masterly 
skill.  In  this  night  of  terror  it  made  good 
the  Danes'  boast  that  no  mortal  force  short 
of  fire  would  ever  be  able  to  wreck  it. 

The  noise  rose  high,  with  increasing 
violence.  The  Danes  outside  were  numb 
with  horror  at  the  unearthly  shrieks  and 
dismal  howlings  of  the  God -forsaken 
fiend.  Many  an  earl  of  Beowulf's  un- 
sheathed and  plunged  into  the  fight ;  they 
knew  not  that  they  could  not  help  their 
leader,  much  as  they  desired  it,  for  that 
no  choicest  blade  on  earth  could  touch 
that  destroyer,  because  he  had  secured 
himself  by  spells  and  incantations  against 
weapons  of  all  kinds.  But  he  was  not 
proof  against  human  heroic  might,  and 
from  that  he  now  got  his  death-wound, 
as  Beowulf,  with  a  desperate  grip  and  tug, 
wrenched  his  arm  off  from  the  shoulder. 
With  a  terrific  yell,  which  told  the  listen- 
ing Danes  that  the  dire  struggle  was 
ended,  and  victory  won  by  their  champ- 
ion, Grendel  fled  to  the  coverts  of  the 


248 


Beowulf 


fen  :  well    he    knew  that   the  number  of 
his  days  was  full. 

Thus  was  the  valiant  champion's  pledge 
redeemed  ;  thus  was  Heorot  purged.  The 
leader  of  the  Goths  had  made  good  his 
vaunt,  and,  in  token  thereof,  he  hung  up 
Grendel's  hand,  arm,  and  shoulder — grim 
trophy  ! — under  the  gabled  roof. 


IX 

REJOICINGS  AND  THANKSGIVINGS 

EARLY  in  the  morning  there  was  a  great 
gathering  about  the  hall.  Chieftains 
came  from  far  and  near,  to  hear  the  mar- 
vellous tale,  to  gaze  at  the  loathsome  pro- 
digy. Then  they  took  up  the  vanquished 
monster's  bloody  trail,  and  followed  it  to 
the  Nicors'  Mere,  whither,  death-doomed 
and  fugitive,  he  had  betaken  himself  to 
die.  There  was  the  face  of  the  lake  surg- 
ing with  blood,  the  gruesome  plash  of 
waves  all  turbid  with  reeking  gore.  There 
he  had  yielded  up  his  heathen  soul,  there 
pale-faced  Hela,  the  dread  queen  and 
guardian  of  the  heathen  dead,  received  it. 
After  surveying  the  uncanny  spot,  they 
rode  home  from  the  Mere  in  high  glee,  as 
from  a  pleasure-trip.  Now  and  then  one 
249 


250  Beowulf 

and  the  other  loosened  their  nags  for  a 
gallop,  to  run  a  match  where  the  turf 
looked  smooth  and  inviting.  Then  again 
a  thane  of  the  King's,  his  mind  full  of 
ballads,  stored  with  old-world  tales,  began 
to  compose  Beowulf's  adventure  into  a 
story  on  the  spot,  to  be  sung  later  at  the 
feast,  to  the  sweet-stringed  harp.  Or  yet 
another  compared  him  to  Siegfried,  the 
Dragon-slayer,  the  greatest  hero  of  all 
North  countries. 

Thus,  alternately  racing  and  talking  and 
singing,  they  rode  joyously  back  to  the 
hall,  and  when  they  reached  there,  the  sun 
was  already  high  in  the  sky,  and  crowds 
were  still  flocking  to  Heorot ;  and  the  King 
himself,  with  the  Queen  and  with  a  gor- 
geous following  of  lords  and  ladies,  was 
coming  the  short  way  from  his  palace  to 
view  his  enemy's  monstrous  arm  and  hand 
hanging  from  the  gold-glittering  roof. 

Hrothgar  was  very  different  this  sunny 
morning  from  the  bent  and  sorrow- 
stricken  old  man  who  greeted  Beowulf 
the  night  before  as  his  last  hope  on  earth. 
Right  royal  he  looked  now  in  his  rich 


Rejoicings  and  Thanksgivings     251 

robes  as  he  walked  along  with  head  erect 
and  firm  step,  and  clear,  glad  eye.  He 
stood  awhile,  gazing  silently  on  the  horri- 
ble hand,  with  fiendish  fingers,  and  nails 
straight  and  sharp  like  steel  spikes, — then 
devoutly  raised  his  voice  : 

"  For  this  sight  thanks  be  given  the 
Almighty !  It  was  but  now  that  I 
thought  I  should  never  see  an  end  of  all 
my  woes — and  now  a  lad,  through  the 
might  of  God,  has  achieved  the  deed 
which  we,  with  all  our  wisdom,  were  un- 
able to  accomplish.  Now  I  will  heartily 
love  thee,  Beowulf,  thou  most  excellent 
youth  !  From  this  day  forth  shalt  thou 
be  to  me  as  my  son ;  thou  shalt  have 
nothing  to  wish  for  in  the  world  so  far  as 
I  have  power.  Full  oft  have  I,  for  far 
less  service,  decreed  great  guerdons  from 
my  treasury.  May  the  Almighty  reward 
thee  always,  as  He  hath  just  done !" 

Beowulf  accepted  these  thanks  and 
praises  with  most  becoming  modesty. 
Indeed,  he  rather  apologised  for  having 
let  the  enemy  escape  him  ;  "  for,"  he  said, 
"  I  would  have  liked  vastly  better  to  show 


252  Beowulf 

thee  his  very  self,  instead  of  only  his  arm 
and  hand." 

Men,  in  those  days,  were  not,  as  a  rule, 
shy  of  boasting  of  their  valorous  deeds 
and  making  the  most  of  them.  Therefore 
the  young  hero's  quiet  bearing  won  him 
still  heartier  admiration  and  louder  ap- 
plause. One  man  alone  in  all  that  joy- 
ous crowd  kept  silent  and  to  himself — and 
that  was  Unferth,  the  story-teller,  who  had 
given  vent  so  freely  to  his  envious  malice 
at  the  feast.  He  dared  not  now  either 
brag  of  his  own  doings,  or  belittle  Beo- 
wulf's exploit,  and  so  held  his  peace. 
But  in  his  heart,  alone  of  all  men,  he 
grudged  him  his  triumph. 


HEOROT  RESTORED— FEASTING  AND 
GIFTS 

AND  now  orders  were  given  that 
•**  Heorot  should  be  promptly  swept, 
cleansed,  and  decorated  ;  men  and  women 
trooped  in  in  great  numbers  to  do  the 
work.  No  light  work  it  was,  for  the 
whole  interior  of  the  building  was  nearly 
demolished ;  in  fact,  the  roof  alone  es- 
caped quite  unhurt.  Substantial  repairs, 
of  course,  would  take  time  ;  but  the  hall 
must  be  garnished  and  made  ready  for 
that  day's  banquet.  So  they  hid  the 
walls  with  brocaded  tapestries  which  de- 
lighted the  eye  with  their  pictured 
stories. 

When  the  time  came,  King  Hrothgar 
walked  to  the  Hall,  for  he  intended  to 
253 


254  Beowulf 

share  the  entire  feast  from  beginning  to 
end.  And  never  did  a  braver  throng  of 
revellers  muster  more  merrily  around  the 
feast-giver. 

The  first  beaker  of  sweet  mead  the 
King  drank  to  Beowulf,  and  at  the  same 
time  presented  him  with  a  complete  suit 
of  preciously-wrought,  gold-adorned,  ar- 
mour— helmet,  coat  of  mail,  and  heavy 
battle-sword,  all  from  the  royal  treasury. 
Then,  at  a  sign  from  the  King,  eight  beauti- 
ful horses,  with  cheekplates  of  gold,  were 
led  into  the  hall.  One  of  them  was  gaily 
caparisoned  and  bore  the  King's  own  fa- 
vourite saddle,  all  decorated  with  silver. 
Horse  and  saddle  were  well  known  to  all 
present,  having  been  seen  often  and  often 
both  at  knightly  games  and  in  the  field, 
where  foemen  fell  before  the  royal  rider 
both  in  play  and  in  deadly  earnest.  Arms 
and  horses  the  King  bade  the  young  hero 
have  for  his  own,  and  enjoy  them  well. 

Moreover,  each  one  of  those  who  had 
made  the  voyage  with  Beowulf  received 
some  precious  gift,  some  old  heirloom. 
As  for  the  comrade  whom  Grendel  had 


Heorot  Restored  255 

so  atrociously  killed  and  devoured,  King 
Hrothgar  gave  order  that  gold  should  be 
brought  from  his  treasury,  to  make  good 
his  loss  to  his  people. 

And  now  the  King  called  aloud  for 
music  and  song.  The  harp  was  struck 
and  Hrothgar's  minstrel  recited  a  ballad, 
often  heard,  but  always  a  favourite,  a  lay 
of  an  old  feud  and  vengeance,  which  made 
the  revellers  realise  the  more  joyfully  their 
deliverance  from  the  tribute  of  blood 
which,  through  so  many  years,  they  had 
unwillingly  paid. 

The  merriment  ran  high,  and  high  rose 
the  sounds  of  revelry  as  the  attendants 
served  the  wine  out  of  curious  flagons. 
When  suddenly  there  was  a  pause  :  Queen 
Wealhtheow  came  forward,  wearing  right 
nobly  her  golden  diadem,  and,  as  the  day 
before,  stood  before  her  lord,  and  spoke  : 

"  Receive  this  beaker,  King  of  the 
Danes !  Be  merry  thyself,  and  gladden 
those  around  thee  with  gifts  and  gracious 
words.  For  now,  far  and  near,  thou  hast 
peace.  Heorot  is  purged  and  is  once 
more  the  most  splendid  of  banqueting- 


256  Beowulf 

halls.  Dispense,  then,  thy  bounties  while 
thou  mayest,  and  to  thy  children  peace- 
fully leave  folk  and  realm  when  thy  time 
comes  to  pass  into  eternity." 

She  turned  then  towards  the  bench 
where  her  young  sons  sat.  And  there, 
by  the  two  brothers,  Beowulf  modestly 
sat  among  the  youth  of  the  land,  separ- 
ate from  the  elders  and  mighty  men. 
To  him  the  Queen  offered  the  beaker, 
with  friendly  words,  inviting  him  to  drink, 
then  presented  him  with  her  own  special 
gifts  :  a  rich  mantle,  armlets  of  twisted 
gold,  and  rings,  and — crowning  gift  of  all 
— a  jewelled  carcanet,  the  most  gorgeous 
piece  of  jeweller's  work  ever  seen  under 
the  sun. 

"Wear  this  collar,  Beowulf,  beloved 
youth,"  the  Queen  said,  "  and  make  use 
of  this  mantle — stately  possessions  both — 
Prosper  well,  win  more  and  more  fame  by 
thy  valour,  and  to  these  my  boys  be  true 
friend  and  kind  adviser.  Thou  hast  done 
that  which  will  make  thee  the  theme  of 
minstrels'  song,  far  and  near,  for  all 
time.  Be  then,  whilst  thou  livest,  a  happy 


Heorot  Restored  257 

prince,  and  loyal  to  my  sons  in  word  and 
deed.  For  such  is  the  manner  of  our 
land  :  here  is  each  warrior  to  other  true, 
loyal  to  their  chief ;  the  thanes  obedient, 
the  people  willing.  And  now,  I  bid  ye 
all — be  merry  ! " 

With  that  she  walked  to  her  chair,  and 
music  once  more  filled  the  hall,  and  wine 
flowed  freely.  No  thought  was  there  of 
evil  to  come,  only  of  the  evil  from  which 
they  deemed  that  they  were  freed  for- 
ever :  for  who  ever  hears  the  fiat  of  des- 
tiny as  it  goes  forth  ?  .  .  .  And  so  the 
evening  came,  and  Hrothgar  betook  him 
to  his  rest. 

Silence  fell  upon  Heorot ;  the  festive 
sounds  died  out.  For  the  first  time  in 
many  years,  the  hall  was  not  deserted  for 
the  night ;  the  ethelings  stayed  to  guard 
it  as  they  had  often  done  in  earlier  times. 
The  benches  were  cleared  away  against 
the  walls ;  beds  and  bolsters  were  laid  in 
rows  upon  the  floor,  and  the  revellers  laid 
themselves  down  to  rest,  happy  and  at 
peace.  Yet  did  one  among  them  lie  down 
that  night  a  doomed  man,  and  knew  it  not. 


258  Beowulf 

At  their  heads  they  set  up  their  bright 
bucklers;  on  the  benches,  plain  in  sight, 
lay  each  etheling's  helmet  and  mail-shirt, 
and  against  them  stood  the  strong-shafted 
lances.  For  such  was  their  custom — to 
be  at  all  times  ready  for  war,  whether  at 
home  or  in  the  field,  wherever  their  liege 
lord  might  have  need  of  their  services. 
Truly  a  brave  and  noble  people ! 


LAY    II 
GRENDEL'S  MOTHER 

I 
THE  AVENGER 

SO  they  sank  down  to  sleep.  One  there 
was  who  sorely  paid  for  that  night's 
rest.  For  ere  morning  it  was  found  that 
Grendel  had  left  an  avenger — his  mother, 
the  Mere-wife,  loathsome  beldame,  a  creat- 
ure that  had  to  dwell  in  the  dreariness  of 
marshes  and  cold  streams,  like  all  the  rest 
of  Cain's  murderous,  outlawed  brood. 
That  very  night  the  hag,  on  bloody  ven- 
geance bent,  betook  herself  to  Heorot, 
where  the  Danes  slept  careless,  all  un- 
conscious. Who  shall  paint  their  horror 
and  dismay  when  the  goblin-wife  suddenly 
burst  into  their  midst  ?  Swords  were 
259 


260  Beowulf 

drawn  and  bucklers  raised,  but  there  was 
no  time  to  think  of  helmet  or  mail-shirt. 

The  hag  was  in  a  hurry  ;  finding  herself 
discovered,  all  she  thought  of  was  to 
get  away  with  her  life.  So  she  quickly 
snatched  up  one  of  the  ethelings  at  ran- 
dom, and  gripping  him  tight,  made  for 
the  fen.  That  man  was  Hrothgar's  dear- 
est comrade,  most  constant  companion — 
sad  end  for  an  illustrious  warrior !  But 
hurried  as  she  was,  the  hag  managed  to 
carry  away  with  her  Grendel's  arm  and 
hand.  A  great  cry  went  up  from  Heorot, 
and  reached  the  aged  King,  who  was 
startled  out  of  his  sleep  by  the  news  that 
the  old  horror  was  revived,  and  that  the 
man  dearest  to  his  heart  was  dead. 

Beowulf  was  not  there.  No  one  thought 
that  his  prowess  should  be  needed  again  ; 
so,  as  he  was  in  want  of  rest  after  his  last 
night's  exertions,  he  and  his  companions 
had  been  assigned  a  lodging  at  some  dis- 
tance, and  they  knew  nothing  of  what  had 
happened.  Bright  and  early,  he  and  his 
little  band,  rested,  cheery,  marched  to  the 
palace,  straight  to  the  King's  apartment, 


The  Avenger  261 

the  floor-timbers  resounding  under  their 
tread,  and,  courteously  accosting  him,  en- 
quired if,  according  to  their  sincere  wish, 
he  had  had  a  restful  night. 

Great  was  their  astonishment  to  find  the 
King  more  deeply  dejected  than  ever,  the 
tears  coursing  down  his  withered  cheeks, 
and  to  hear  his  heart-broken  answer  : 

"  Speak  not  of  rest  to  me  !  New  grief 
has  come  over  the  Danes.  ^Eschere  is 
dead,  my  friend  and  counsellor,  my  trusty 
body-squire,  who  has  stood  with  me, 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  in  battle,  a  hundred 
times.  In  Heorot  has  he  met  his  death 
at  the  hands  of  another  raging  fiend. 
Yesternight  didst  thou  overcome  Grendel 
in  deadly  fight,  and  now  his  mother  comes 
to  avenge  her  kin  !  I  know  not  in  what 
direction  she  took  her  way,  but  her  tracks 
will  show.  I  will  be  bound  they  lead  us 
no  farther  than  the  Mere,  a  few  miles 
from  here — an  uncanny  water — wolf-crags, 
windy  bluffs,  woods  with  gnarled,  inter- 
twined roots  overhang  it.  A  precipitous 
mountain  waterfall  vanishes  into  the  earth, 
and  flows  on,  an  underground  river.  And 


262  Beowulf 

on  the  Mere  itself,  every  night,  a  fearfiri 
portent  may  be  seen  :  fire  playing  on  the 
water.  The  man  liveth  not  who  knows 
the  depth  of  that  mere.  The  antlered 
hart,  as  he  makes  for  the  wood  coverts, 
harried  by  hounds,  will  sooner  give  up 
life  on  the  bank,  than  plunge  his  head 
into  the  unhallowed  flood.  Now  it  is 
once  more  to  thee  alone  that  we  look 
for  counsel !  Thou  knowest  not  yet  the 
dreadful  haunt — go  seek  it  if  thou  dare  ! 
I  will  reward  thee  with  treasure  to  thy 
heart's  content,  if  so  thou  comest  away 
alive." 

Beowulf  answered  straightway,  and  his 
brave  words  fell  like  balm  on  Hrothgar's 
dejected  spirits : 

"  Cease  sorrowing,  wise  sire  !  Aveng- 
ing a  friend  is  better  than  mourning  for 
him.  Arouse  thee  !  let  us  promptly  set 
out  to  find  the  trail  of  this  new  terror.  I 
vow  to  thee  she  shall  not  escape  ;  neither 
in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  nor  in  the 
haunted  woods,  nor  in  ocean's  depth — go 
where  she  will !  Have  patience  but  this 
one  day,  and  all  thy  woes  shall  end." 


II 

THE  MERE 

UP  sprang  then  the  aged  King,  thank- 
ing God  for  the  hero's  words,  which 
filled  him  with  new  vigour.  He  mounted 
his  charger,  a  stately  high-stepper  with 
wavy,  flowing  mane,  and  rode  forth  with 
Beowulf  and  the  mixed  band  of  Danes  and 
Goths,  the  foot-force  of  shield-bearing  men 
marching  behind.  The  track  lay  broad 
and  plain  over  the  ground,  down  the 
slope — straight  across  the  murky  moor. 

Lightly  did  Beowulf  step  over  steep 
stone-banks,  narrow  gullies,  lonesome, 
untravelled  paths,  sheer  bluffs,  under  many 
of  which  were  deep  caverns,  the  dwelling- 
place  of  nicors.  With  a  few  tried  men 
he  went  forward,  exploring  the  ground, 
until  all  of  a  sudden  he  perceived  the 
263 


264  Beowulf 

gloomy  trees  overhanging  the  grisly  rock 
of  which  Hrothgar  had  spoken — a  cheer- 
less wood  ;  beneath  it  a  standing  water, 
dreary  and  troubled.  The  whole  scene 
was  so  desolate  and  eerie  that  it  made 
the  Danes  shudder  ;  horror  seized  them 
as  they  looked,  for  on  that  cliff  they  came 
on  the  head  of  ./Eschere  in  a  pool  of 
blood. 

The  horn  sounded  from  time  to  time 
a  spirited  blast  to  keep  them  together. 
But  they  had  little  wish  to  stray.  They 
all  sat  down  on  the  ground,  terrified,  yet 
curious  for  the  weird  sights  of  the  Mere  : 
they  saw  gliding  along  the  water  many 
shapes  of  serpent  kind,  monstrous  sea- 
snakes  at  their  swimming  gambols  ;  like- 
wise nicors  lying  lazily  on  the  jutting 
slopes, — the  water-goblins  which  often,  of 
an  early  morning,  churn  up  the  waves  to 
make  disastrous  sailing  for  voyagers, — 
dragons,  and  other  strange  beasts  tumbled 
about,  then  hurried  away  with  eye  of  spite 
and  body  swelling  with  rage  at  being  dis- 
turbed by  the  clarion's  clang  and  the 
intrusion  of  men.  Beowulf,  with  an  arrow 


The  Mere  265 

from  his  bow,  picked  off  one  of  the  mon- 
sters, which  was  swiftly  pulled  out  on 
land  ;  his  swimming  days  were  over,  his 
tricks  ended. 

But  this  was  play.  The  business  of  the 
day  was  now  to  come,  and  Beowulf  be- 
gan to  prepare  for  it.  Piece  by  piece  he 
donned  his  princely  armour,  which  was 
to  stand  the  novel  test  of  deadly  battle 
in  the  waters  of  the  unholy  lake.  Most 
anxiously  did  his  friends,  both  Danes  and 
Goths,  watch  and  assist  him  as  he  silently 
armed,  with  brow  and  mouth  firmly  set 
under  the  helmet,  for  well  they  knew  that 
the  contest  he  was  now  going  to  engage 
in  was  far  more  dangerous  than  that  in 
which  he  had  but  lately  ventured  life  and 
limb.  Even  Unferth,  the  unmannerly, 
forgot  what  he  had  recently  uttered  when 
flushed  with  ale — or  perchance  he  wished 
to  atone  for  past  ill-will  by  present  service. 
Enough,  he  pressed  to  Beowulf's  side, 
and  placed  in  his  hand  a  wonderful  sword, 
an  old  heirloom  of  his  house,  most  highly 
prized  of  all  his  possessions.  That  precious 
blade,  like  other  famed  swords  belong- 


266 


Beowulf 


ing  to  mighty  heroes,  had  a  name  of  its 
own,  like  a  human  friend  :  it  was  called 
Hrunting.  The  edge  of  the  blade  was 
iron,  welded  onto  the  brass,  mottled  with 
poison,  and  hardened  in  the  gore  of  many 
battles.  Never  had  it  proved  false  to  him 
who  wielded  it ;  this  was  not  the  first  time 
that  heroic  work  had  been  required  of  it. 


Ill 

UNDER  THE  WATERS 

AND  now  Beowulf  stood  armed,  and 
ready  for  the  fray.  But  before  he 
went  whence  he  might  not  come  back,  he 
turned  to  King  Hrothgar  and  once  again 
repeated  the  request  he  had  made  before 
he  remained  in  Heorot  to  await  the  com- 
ing of  Grendel : 

"  See  now,  O  wise  King,  I  am  ready  to 
start.  Bethink  thee  of  what  we  lately 
talked  of :  that,  should  I  lose  my  life  in 
thy  service,  thou  shouldst,  after  my  death, 
fulfil  my  wishes  even  as  my  own  father 
would.  They  are  but  few  and  easily  re- 
membered :  be  thou  friend  and  protector 
to  my  thanes  when  I  am  gone,  and  send 
the  presents  thou  hast  given  me  to  Hyge- 
lac ;  so  will  he  see  for  himself  that  I  had 
267 


268  Beowulf 

found  a  bountiful  friend.  And  let  Unferth 
keep  my  own  heirloom,  my  curiously 
damaskeened  sword,  Hardedge.  With 
Hrunting  I  will  either  achieve  renown  or 
find  my  death." 

He  said,  and,  waiting  for  no  answer, 
leaped  from  the  bluff — the  eddying  flood 
engulfed  him.  So  deep  was  the  mere, 
that  it  took  some  time  before,  sinking,  he 
reached  the  bottom. 

Soon  the  grim  creature  that  for  a  hund- 
red seasons  had  kept  house  in  the  watery 
realm  perceived  that  one  of  the  children 
of  men  was  coming  from  above,  exploring 
the  goblins'  home.  She  made  a  grab  at 
him  and  clutched  him  in  her  grisly  talons, 
but  could  not  pierce  the  well-knit  ring 
mail  which  fenced  him  around.  But  she 
bore  him  to  her  mansion  at  the  bottom  of 
the  lake,  so  swiftly  that,  although  his 
heart  did  not  fail,  he  was  powerless  to  use 
his  weapons,  the  more  that  countless 
water-beasts  harassed  him  in  swimming, 
battering  at  him  with  tusk  and  claw. 

At  length  the  earl  felt  the  grip  loosened 
on  him,  and  as  he  hurriedly  cast  his  eye 


i 


Under  the  Waters  269 

around,  he  perceived  that  he  was  in  a  vast 
hall,  high-roofed,  and  protected  from  the 
water  on  all  sides ;  it  was  light,  too,  with 
an  eerie,  bright  lustre,  something  like  fire- 
light. But  the  hero  had  no  time  for  won- 
der or  exploring ;  for  before  him  stood 
the  grim  she-wolf  of  the  abyss,  and  it  be- 
hoved him  to  be  quick  in  attack.  Grasp- 
ing Hrunting,  he  whirled  it  around  her 
head  ;  but  when  it  descended  to  strike, 
he  found,  to  his  dismay,  that  the  edge  did 
not  bite ;  for  the  first  time  the  costly 
blade  failed  the  master  at  his  need.  With 
prompt  decision  he  angrily  flung  it  away, 
and  once  again  trusting  wholly  to  his 
own  strength,  seized  the  hag  by  the 
shoulder,  and  swayed  her  so  violently  in 
his  rage  that  she  sank  to  the  pavement. 
She  swiftly  repaid  him  and  closed  in  upon 
him,  crushing  the  wind  out  of  his  body, 
so  that  he,  fearless  as  he  was,  staggered 
from  sheer  breathlessness  and  fell  pro- 
strate. Then  the  hag  sat  upon  his  back 
and  drew  her  broad  knife,  and  her  goblin 
son  would  have  been  avenged  then  and 
there,  but  that  Beowulf's  mail-shirt  was 


270  Beowulf 

proof  against  point  and  edge,  which  gave 
him  time  for  a  last  mighty  effort  to  throw 
off  the  hindering  weight, — and  presently 
he  stood  once  more  erect  on  his  feet. 

Still,  even  then  his  life  might  have  been 
forfeit  in  the  unequal  combat,  had  he  not 
chanced  to  espy  among  the  armour  lying 
scattered  about  the  hall,  an  old  cutlass  of 
huge  size  and  strength  of  blade,  larger 
than  an  ordinary  man  could  have  carried, 
let  alone  used  in  battle, — the  handiwork  of 
giants.  On  this  Beowulf  blindly  seized — 
beside  himself,  despairing  of  his  life — and 
struck  in  his  fury  ;  the  blow  caught  the 
beldame  in  the  neck,  severed  the  bone, 
she  dropped  on  the  pavement, — the  work 
was  done. 

He  was  alone.  He  now  had  leisure  to 
scan  the  apartment  with  his  eye ;  he  slowly 
walked  all  round  it,  along  by  the  wall, 
the  magic  weapon  swung  aloft  by  the  hilt, 
for  fear  of  surprises.  Suddenly,  he  came 
upon  a  hideous  object — Grendel,  bereft 
of  life,  lying  where  he  fell,  as  he  reached 
his  lake  home  on  that  fatal  night.  The 
hero's  blood  boiled  at  the  sight;  he  at 


Under  the  Waters  271 

once  decided  he  would  bring  back  to  the 
upper  world  a  better  trophy  than  a  hand 
and  arm :  so,  raising  high  the  cutlass,  he 
struck  off  the  head. 

Then,  before  his  eyes,  there  came  to 
pass  a  thing  whereat  he  marvelled  much  ; 
no  sooner  had  the  blade  touched  the  mon- 
ster's black  gore,  than  it  began  to  melt 
away,  even  as  ice  wjien  the  spring 
breathes  upon  it,  dissolving  the  fetters  of 
the  torrent ;  and  even  as  he  looked,  it 
melted  all  to  naught,  down  to  the  hilt  in 
his  hand — so  venomous  and  consuming 
had  been  the  goblin's  life-blood  ! 

There  were  many  rare  arms  and  trinkets 
in  that  wondrous  water  hall ;  but  Beowulf 
only  glanced  at  them  and  would  not  bur- 
den himself  with  aught  save  the  head,  and 
the  hilt  of  the  burned-up  cutlass,  which  he 
wanted  to  show  and  keep  as  a  curiosity. 
Nor  would  he  leave  Hrunting  below,  since 
the  good  sword  did  not  belong  to  him. 


IV 

THE  RETURN 

MEANWHILE  the  hours  waxed  long 
to  the  watchers  above.  Hrothgar 
and  his  men  sat  in  the  same  spot  still,  in- 
tently gazing  on  the  water.  The  old  men 
with  grizzled  locks  spoke  together  in  low 
tones  about  the  brave  etheling,  how  they 
did  not  expect  that  he  should  ever  come 
back  to  them ;  and  when  they  saw  the 
waves  splashing  turbid  and  tinged  with 
blood,  most  of  them  decided  that  the  she- 
wolf  of  the  Mere  had  torn  him  to  pieces. 

It  was  the  ninth  hour  of  the  day.  The 
impetuous  Danes  gave  him  up  for  lost  and 
quitted  the  bluff  ;  King  Hrothgar  followed 
them  with  heavy  heart.  They  did  not 
doubt  but  that  they  had  lost  their  hero- 
friend,  and  the  nightly  ravages  would 
272 


The  Return  273 

commence  again.  But  the  Goths  would 
not  go.  Sick  at  heart  they  sat  on,  and 
gazed  upon  the  dreadful  pool.  They  did 
not  expect  to  ever  again  get  sight  of  their 
lord  and  captain  in  the  body,  yet  they 
kept  on  wishing,  and  secretly  hoping  :  for 
was  he  not  greater  and  braver  than  all 
other  men  ?  No  other  would  have  even 
dreamed  of  plunging  into  such  an  ad- 
venture. 

And  lo !  what  was  that  ?  something  in 
the  distance,  moving  on  the  water  !  Water- 
beast  it  could  not  be,  for  they  had  all 
slunk  away  when  man  and  goblin-wife  met, 
and  kept  in  hiding,  waiting  for  the  end. 
It  was — yes,  it  was  the  leader  !  Soon  they 
could  see  him  plainly,  as  he  came  swim- 
ming bravely  along.  He  shouted  to  them. 
They  answered  with  a  cry  which  must  have 
been  heard  half-way  to  Heorot.  Then 
he  came  to  land,  exulting  in  his  lake 
spoils.  His  faithful  thanes  ran  to  meet 
him,  thanking  God  .that  they  had  him 
back,  whole  and  sound.  They  pressed 
around,  vicing  who  should  relieve  him  of 
his  helmet,  his  mail-shirt.  From  the  mo- 


274  Beowulf 

ment  he  stepped  on  land,  the  Mere  sul- 
lenly subsided,  grey  and  heavy,  leaden 
water  under  leaden  sky. 

And  now  Beowulf  and  his  band  pre- 
pared to  retrace  their  steps,  for  they  had 
quite  a  long  way  to  march  across  country 
and  along  the  public  highways.  So  they 
formed  into  a  triumphal  procession,  to 
bear  away  Grendel's  head  from  the  Mere- 
cliff  :  it  took  four  of  the  lusty  and  stal- 
wart fellows  to  carry  it  on  a  pole,  and  the 
burden  taxed  their  strength  to  the  ut- 
most ;  so  that,  when  they  reached  the 
great  hall,  gold-glittering  in  the  sunshine, 
they  were  glad  to  lay  it  down  on  the 
ground.  Then  others  of  their  comrades 
took  it  up  and  carried  it  by  the  hair  into 
the  midst  of  the  assembled  Danes.  Their 
captain  was  just  greeting  the  King,  but 
all  sprang  to  their  feet ;  even  to  Hrothgar 
and  the  Queen,  startled  out  of  ceremony 
by  the  unexpected  sight  of  the  horrible 
object. 


LAST  WORDS 

WHEN  some  sort  of  order  had  been 
restored,  Beowulf,  with  his  wonted 
modest    dignity,  gave    the    King  a  brief 
account  of  his  last  and  most  deadly  en- 
counter : 

"  Lo  and  behold !  to  thee,  O  Lord  of 
the  Skyldings,  we  have  joyfully  brought 
these  Mere-spoils  that  thou  lookest  on, 
in  token  that  what  we  came  to  do  is  done. 
Not  easily  did  I  come  out  of  it  with  life. 
In  the  battle  under  water  well-nigh  had 
the  struggle  gone  against  me,  only  that 
God  shielded  me.  I  could  not,  in  the 
final  test,  accomplish  aught  with  H runt- 
ing,  though  it  be  a  good  weapon,  too. 
But  the  Ruler  of  men  directed  my  eye 
to  the  wall,  where  it  was  caught  by  the 
275 


276  Beowulf 

gleam  of  an  old  sword  of  huge  size, 
whereat  I  grasped,  blindly.  Thus  oftenest 
hath  He  guided  men  when  they  have  no 
other  friend.  With  that  sword — occasion 
favouring  me, — I  smote  the  keepers  of  the 
Mere-house,  the  living  and  the  dead.  So 
hot  and  poisonous  was  that  accursed 
blood,  that  it  consumed  the  blade,  as  thou 
canst  see.  I  brought  away  the  hilt  as  a 
trophy.  And  now  that  I  have  avenged 
the  long  agonies  of  the  Danes  as  was 
meet,  I  promise  thee  that  thou  mayest 
sleep  henceforth  in  Heorot  free  from  care  ; 
and  so  may  every  one  of  the  thanes,  old 
and  young,  and  thou  needest  not  fear  for 
them  any  kind  of  danger,  as  thou  didst  so 
long." 

The  oldest  and  wisest  among  the  war- 
riors marvelled  much  to  hear  so  wise  a 
speech  from  lips  so  young.  That  in  the 
heat  of  victory,  hard-won,  single-handed, 
the  noble  champion  should  remember  to 
give  thanks  where  alone  man's  thanks 
are  due,  and  should  generously  share  the 
credit  with  his  comrades,  pleased  King 
Hrothgar  greatly.  With  kindly  smile  he 


Last  Words  277 

took  the  gilded,  bladeless  hilt  into  his 
hand  and  examined  it  intently.  It  was 
well  worth  the  study,  this  relic  of  heathen 
times  immemorial,  the  workmanship  of 
giants.  The  mystic  smiths  had  graven 
much  ancient  lore  on  it  in  quaint  old 
characters,  looking  like  small  staves  oddly 
thrown  together,  and  long  held  sacred  by 
learned  men,  who  called  them  "  Runes." 
Hrothgar,  who,  though  himself  a  fervent 
Christian,  was  well  versed  in  the  ancient 
heathen  lore  of  his  people,  easily  read  the 
storied  gold  of  the  hilt.  Upon  it  was 
written  the  history  of  the  primeval  quar- 
rel between  the  bright,  beneficent  gods 
and  the  perverse  race  of  giants,  and  of 
the  war  between  them,  in  which  the  wicked 
giants  did  their  worst,  by  force  and  wile, 
to  destroy  the  beautiful  world,  the  creation 
of  the  gods,  until  the  latter  sent  a  great 
flood,  and  the  giant's  brood  perished. 
Likewise  was  it  set  down  in  runes  on  a 
part  of  the  mounting,  for  whom  that  sword 
had  first  been  worked  with  its  dragon 
ornament. 

When  he  had  examined  the  curious  relic 


278  Beowulf 

at  his  leisure,  King  Hrothgar  returned  it 
to  the  youth,  and  bending  on  him  his 
kindest  glance,  he  spoke  to  him, — while 
all  around  respectfully  held  their  peace, — 
out  of  the  fulness  of  his  heart  and  of  his 
long-hoarded  wisdom,  such  words  as  only 
a  father  speaks  to  a  well-beloved  son,  when 
he  sends  him  forth  to  fare  for  himself  in 
the  wide  and  dangerous  world.  For  well 
he  knew  that  the  hero,  his  mission  done, 
would  leave  him  very  soon,  to  continue 
his  adventurous  career,  wherever  it  might 
call  him,  and  his  heart  ached  to  let  him 
go  ;  he  would  fain  have  warned  him  of  all 
that  might  befall  him  on  his  way,  and 
given  him  his  own  treasure  of  experience 
to  guide  and  to  shield  him, — above  all 
against  the  dangers  and  snares  of  his  own 
untamed  nature. 

"  Thy  fame,  friend  Beowulf,"  the  King 
began,  "will  spread  after  this  to  every 
land,  over  every  nation.  Thou  dost  withal 
carry  thy  prowess  modestly,  with  discre- 
tion of  mind.  Thou  art  fated  to  prove 
a  comfort  sure  and  lasting  to  thy  men,  a 
help  to  mankind." 


Last  Words  279 

Here  the  King  recalled,  as  a  warning 
example,  the  fate  of  Heremod,  the  bad 
king,  who  had  lost  the  people's  hearts 
through  his  arrogance  and  cruelty,  and 
whom  his  (Hrothgar's),  own  ancestor, 
Skyld  of  the  Sheaf,  had  displaced. 

"  Do  thou  take  warning  by  that ! "  he 
continued.  "  It  is  for  thy  benefit  that  I, 
being  old  in  years  and  experience,  have 
told  this  tale.  For,  how  many  a  time  do 
we  not  see  a  man  of  noble  race  who 
dwelleth  in  prosperity,  with  nothing  to 
annoy  him,  no  care  nor  quarrel  on  any 
side,  but  all  the  world  seems  to  move  to 
his  mind.  Until,  at  length,  within  the 
man  himself  something  of  arrogancy  grows 
and  develops.  Then  sleepeth  the  heavenly 
guardian,  the  soul's  keeper ;  the  foe  is 
very  near,  and  the  man  yields  to  the 
crooked  counsels  of  the  accursed  spirit ; 
he  fancies  that  all  is  too  little  that  he  has 
so  long  enjoyed  ;  he  grows  covetous  and 
malignant,  and  grudges  to  share  his  wealth 
with  his  friends.  He  too  lightly  considers 
how  that  it  was  God  the  Dispenser  who 
placed  him  in  his  post  of  dignity,  And 


280  Beowulf 

then  the  end  comes  ;  another  fills  his  room 
who  makes  better  use  of  his  wealth — he 
is  forgotten.  Beware  of  such  a  fall,  Beo- 
wulf, beloved  youth,  and  choose  for  thyself 
the  better  course.  Now  is  thy  strength 
in  full  bloom  for  a  while.  Soon  it  may 
betide  that  sickness  or  the  sword  will  be- 
reave thee  of  it ;  fire  or  flood,  stab  of 
knife,  or  flight  of  spear — anything  at  any 
time  may  mar  and  darken  all,  and  Death 
subdue  thee,  leader  of  men  though  thou 
art !  Look  at  me :  did  I  not  for  fifty 
years  reign  prosperously  over  the  Danes, 
and  by  valour  make  them  secure  against 
many  a  nation,  insomuch  that  I  dreaded 
no  rival  under  the  circuit  of  the  sky  ? 
Yet  how  suddenly  a  change  came  over  all 
that ;  here  in  my  own  hall,  the  abominable 
Grendel  bearded  and  despoiled  me,  and 
for  years  my  heart  carried  its  load  of  grief. 
Thanks,  therefore,  be  to  the  Eternal  Ruler 
for  what  I  have  lived  to  see — that  I,  the 
old  tribulation  past,  with  mine  own  eyes 
should  gaze  upon  yon  severed  head  ! — And 
now  go,  sit  thee  down,  share  the  festive 
joy,  crowned  with  the  honours  of  war. 


Last  Words  281 

To-morrow  we  must  yet  have  many  deal- 
ings together." 

Beowulf  had  listened  with  beseeming 
earnestness  and  reverence,  nor  did  the 
aged  king's  wise  instruction  fall  on  barren 
soil.  But  he  was  very  tired  :  so  he  moved 
briskly  off  and  sat  down,  nothing  loth,  on 
one  of  the  benches.  Then  the  tables  were 
cleared  and  re-spread,  and  a  fair,  fresh 
banquet  served. 

Not  till  the  night's  dim  covering  began 
to  descend  over  the  light-hearted  revellers 
did  the  venerable  Skylding  arise  and  give 
the  signal  for  bed.  After  him  the  elders. 
Vastly  well  did  the  hero  of  the  day  like 
the  thought  of  repose — he  had  enough  of 
adventure  for  a  while !  He  was  mar- 
shalled to  his  room  with  much  ceremony 
by  a  chamberlain,  who  supplied  him  with 
all  things  needful  for  a  luxurious  night's 
rest.  And  he  slept !  slept  till  the  black  ra- 
ven announced  heaven's  glory  with  blithe 
heart,  and  the  light  drove  the  shadows 
away,  and  fiends  that  prowl  of  nights 
scampered  off  and  hid. 

When  he  came  forth  from  his  sleeping- 


282  Beowulf 

chamber,  he  found  his  comrades  all  ready 
for  the  voyage.  They  were  impatient  to 
take  ship  for  home. 

Beowulf  bade  courteous  farewell  to  his 
Danish  friends,  and  when  the  turn  of  Un- 
ferth  came,  he  returned  Hrunting  to  him 
with  hearty  thanks  for  the  loan ;  with 
never  a  word  did  he  blame  the  blade  that 
had  played  him  false,  but  on  the  contrary 
praised  it  for  a  good  sword,  a  good  friend 
in  war.  Thus  are  high-souled  men  ever 
courteous  and  mindful  of  other  men's 
feelings. 


VI 

HOMEWARD  BOUND 

ONLY   when   the   departing  warriors 
were  fully  equipped  and  ready  to 
start,   did    Beowulf   approach   the   raised 
platform  where  Hrothgar  sat,  to  take  lov- 
ing leave  of  him. 

"Now,"  he  began,  "we  sea-voyagers 
have  come  to  say  that  we  purpose  this 
very  day  to  return  to  Hygelac.  Here  we 
have  been  well  entertained,  and  thou  hast 
been  to  us  very  generous.  If  I  therefore 
may  in  any  way  be  of  use  to  thee,  even 
though  it  require  labour  beyond  what  I 
have  yet  done,  I  shall  be  forthwith  on 
hand.  If  they  bring  me  word  across  the 
seas  that  thou  art  hard  pressed  by  neigh- 
bours, I  will  at  once  bring  thee  a  thousand 
thanes  to  help.  And  Hygelac,  I  know. 
283 


284  Beowulf 

albeit  young  in  years,  will  bear  me  out  in 
this,  and  send  me  over  with  a  forest  of 
spears,  shouldst  thou  have  need  of  them." 

The  old  King  was  deeply  moved  as  he 
made  answer  : 

"  The  All-wise  Lord  himself,  puts  such 
thoughts  into  thy  mind.  Never  have  I 
heard  one  so  young  in  years  discourse  such 
sweet  and  reasonable  speech.  I  think  it 
very  likely  that,  should  sickness  or  iron 
take  thy  chief  from  this  life,  the  seafaring 
Goths  will  find  no  better  man  than  thy- 
self to  be  their  king.  Thou  hast  my  best 
wishes,  beloved  Beowulf,  for  I  like  thee 
more  and  more.  Thou  hast  done  that 
which  will  make  the  Danes  and  the  Goths 
friends  forevermore.  While  I  rule  this 
realm,  the  two  nations  shall  have  all  things 
in  common,  and  ships  shall  bring  back  and 
forward,  not  men  armed  for  war,  but  pres- 
ents and  tokens  of  love." 

King  Hrothgar  rose  from  his  chair  of 
state  and  pressed  on  his  young  friend 
twelve  more  priceless  jewels,  bidding  him 
go  with  God  and  visit  his  people,  but 
come  back  again  soon.  He  clasped  him 


Homeward  Bound  285 

by  the  neck,  tears  coursing  down  his 
cheeks  into  his  long  grey  beard.  To  him 
the  youth  was  so  dear  that  he  could  not 
restrain  the  passion  of  his  sorrow  at  part- 
ing from  him,  for,  in  spite  of  his  cheery 
words,  there  was  that  in  his  breast  which 
warned  him  that  they  two  were  not  to 
meet  again. 

Beowulf,  being  young,  was  not  much 
disturbed  by  forebodings,  and  when  he  left 
the  hall,  his  foot  trod  the  grassy  earth 
with  the  firm  step  of  conscious  power. 
As  he  and  his  gallant  troop  neared  the 
water,  where  their  well-guarded  ship 
awaited  them,  the  coast-warden  marked 
their  approach,  as  he  had  done  at  their 
coming ;  but  there  was  no  suspicion  now 
in  his  mind  or  manner,  as  he  hailed  them 
from  his  high  peak  and  rode  down  swiftly 
towards  them.  The  beach  was  all  alive  as 
the  Goths  proceeded,  with  right  good  will, 
to  load  the  good  ship  with  the  war  har- 
ness, the  horses,  and  all  the  treasures  from 
Hrothgar's  hoard.  Winds  and  waves 
seemed  to  favour  their  impatience,  and 
sail  and  oars  carried  them  smoothly  over 


286  Beowulf 

the  foamy  swell,  till  they  were  able  to 
espy  the  familiar  cliffs  and  headlands  of 
the  Gothic  shore.  And  now  the  keel 
grated  on  the  sand,  the  wind  pushing  from 
behind — she  was  on  land. 

The  warden  was  ready  to  receive  the 
seafarers  at  the  landing  ;  he  had  hardly 
left  the  water's  edge,  so  anxiously  had  he 
been  looking  for  the  dear  friends  who 
had  left  him  on  so  perilous,  uncertain  a 
venture.  And  now  he  helped  to  bind  the 
ship  fast  with  strong  anchor  cables,  lest  a 
sudden  storm  might  snatch  her  away,  and 
hastened  to  give  orders  to  carry  ashore 
the  princely  cargo. 


VII 

AT  HOME 

THEY  had  not  far  to  go,  for  King  Hy- 
gelac,  son  of  Hrethel,  had  his  palace, 
where  he  held  court  with  his  peers,  within 
sight  of  the  sea.  There  he  dwelt  happily 
with  his  Queen,  fair  Hygd,  who,  though 
she  was  very  young,  and  had  lived  but  few 
winters  in  her  lord's  castle,  was  wise  and 
of  excellent  discretion,  yet  not  mean-spir- 
ited, nor  grudging  of  gifts  to  the  thanes 
and  ethelings — very  different  in  all  her 
ways  from  another  young  princess  of  the 
Goths,  Thrytho,  the  moody  and  the  proud, 
even  to  savagery ;  so  arrogant  and  fierce 
that  no  man,  not  even  her  favourites 
among  the  courtiers,  durst  look  in  her 
eyes,  but  he  was  sure  to  be  taken  and 
287 


288  Beowulf 

bound  by  her  order,  and  the  knife  was 
quick  to  follow  arrest.  Well  did  nobles 
and  people  murmur,  and  whisper  among 
themselves  that  such  manner  was  not 
queenly,  nor  womanly,  for  any  lady  to 
practise,  although  peerless  of  form  and 
feature  ;  for  woman  should  ever  be  a  peace- 
maker, and  not  a  taker  of  men's  lives — on 
false  pretences  too.  But  no  one  dared  to 
speak  aloud  what  all  thought  in  their  se- 
cret hearts.  So  everybody  was  glad  ex- 
ceedingly when  Thrytho  was  sent  off  to 
Angle-land,  there  to  wed  the  great  Offa, 
King  of  Mercia,  the  most  powerful  of  the 
seven  kingdoms.  Soon  after,  however, 
those  who  drink  at  the  ale-benches  began 
to  tell  a  different  tale,  how  that  she  had 
left  off  her  evil  ways  from  the  moment 
that  she  reached  Offa's  hall  after  her  long 
sea-voyage  and  been  given,  gold-adorned, 
into  the  noble  and  brave  king's  keeping ; 
and  ever  since,  as  long  as  she  lived  in  her 
royal  state,  she  was  famed  for  her  kindness 
and  gentleness ;  she  won  and  kept  the 
love  of  that  most  excellent  ruler  between 
the  seas — for  minstrels  tell  us  that  Offa 


At  Home  289 

was  as  famous  for  his  courtly  grace  and 
knightly  accomplishments  as  for  his  feats 
of  war.1 

Beowulf's  arrival  was  promptly  made 
known  to  Hygelac.  Good  news  in  truth, 
he  thought,  that  his  dear  companion,  his 
playfellow  of  yore,  was  coming  back  to 
him  alive  and  unhurt.  Quickly,  at  his 
command,  the  interior  of  the  hall  was 
cleared  for  the  home-coming  travellers. 

Beowulf  sat  by  the  King's  side,  while 
his  comrades  were  greeted  by  their  friends, 
and  the  gentle  Queen  moved  about  the 
hall  with  beakers  of  sweet  mead  ;  for  she 
loved  her  folk  and  gladly  ministered  to 
them. 

With  eager,  affectionate  words  Hygelac 
questioned  his  kinsman  about  his  voyage, 
his  reception  by  Hrothgar,  the  battle  for 
Heorot.  Beowulf  satisfied  him  fully  on 

1  That  these  two  queens  with  their  contrasting  characters 
were  introduced  by  the  Christian  writer  of  the  poem  to  convey 
a  moral  lesson,  is  evident  from  the  allegorical  names  he  gives 
them:  "  Hygd,"  in  Anglo-Saxon,  means  "  discretion,"  and 
"  Thrytho,"  "haughtiness,  superciliousness."  At  the  same 
time  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  name  of  Thrytho  may  have 
been  suggested  by  the  actual  name  of  Offa's  queen,  which  was 
"Cynethryth." 
19 


290  Beowulf 

all  points,  and  gave  him  a  most  detailed 
account  of  all  that  had  befallen  him,  good 
and  evil,  during  his  brief  but  eventful  ab- 
sence— speaking  of  his  deeds,  as  was  his 
wont,  with  heroic  simplicity,  and  dwelling 
more  on  Hrothgar's  loving-kindness  and 
generosity  than  upon  his  own  prowess. 

When  he  had  told  his  tale,  to  which  all 
who  were  in  the  hall  listened  spell-bound, 
he  ordered  all  Hrothgar's  gifts,  including 
four  of  the  beautiful  horses,  matched  to 
perfection,  to  be  brought  into  the  hall,  and 
then  and  there  presented  all  to  his  kins- 
man and  liege  lord,  bidding  him  use  and 
enjoy  the  treasures.  As  to  the  carcanet,  the 
curiously  wrought,  wonderful  jewel,  which 
Hrothgar's  queen  had  bestowed  on  him, 
he  presented  that  to  Queen  Hygd,  as  also 
three  palfreys,  keeping  only  one  of  the 
eight  horses  for  his  own  use,  in  memory 
of  Hrothgar's  friendship.  A  shining  ex- 
ample, truly,  of  a  loyal  kinsman's  fealty 
and  love,  which  it  were  well  if  all  royal 
kinsmen  took  to  heart.  But  how  many, 
alack,  are  there  who  will,  instead,  spread 
the  deceitful  snare  for  their  trusting  com- 


At  Home  291 

rade's  feet  and  secretly,  with  wicked  guile, 
contrive  his  death  ! 

From  this  time  on,  Beowulf  steadily 
grew  in  honours  and  in  his  sovereign's 
confidence.  He  conducted  himself  on  all 
occasions  wisely  and  with  discretion. 
Never  did  he  smite  his  hearth-fellows  in 
their  cups.  For  his  was  no  ruffian  soul ; 
but  of  all  mankind  he  most  wisely  con- 
trolled the  great  talents  which  God  had 
given  him.  Men  saw  and  wondered  at 
him.  For  they  had  held  him  in  little  es- 
teem for  a  long  time,  because  of  his  mod- 
est, reserved  ways,  which  did  not  court 
attention  ;  and  when  he  was  a  lad,  he  had 
often  been  called  slack  and  unpromising. 
Now,  however,  every  rash  judgment  was 
reversed,  as  the  mature  man  stood  radiant 
in  his  glory,  the  very  next  to  the  King, 
who  girded  him  with  his  own  father's  gold- 
mounted  battle-sword,  King  Hrethel's  heir- 
loom, than  which  there  was  no  more 
renowned  weapon  among  the  Goths.  At 
the  same  time  he  conferred  on  him  seven 
thousand  hides  of  land,  a  princely  mansion, 
and  a  seat  of  authority  in  the  Council. 


292  Beowulf 

Not  many  years  passed  thus  peacefully. 
There  was  war  once  more  and  Hygelac 
fell  in  battle  in  the  distant  land  of  the 
sea-going  Frisians.  Beowulf  saved  him- 
self by  a  feat  of  swimming  which  no  man 
but  he  could  have  performed,  and  reached 
Gothland  unharmed.  There  he  found 
the  young  widowed  Queen,  Hygd,  beside 
herself  with  grief  and  alarm.  She  prof- 
fered him  treasure  and  realm,  jewels  and 
throne ;  for  she  had  no  confidence  in  her 
young  son  Heardred,  who  was  scarcely 
more  than  a  child,  that  he  would  be  able 
to  hold  the  ancestral  seats  against  the 
Frisians,  whose  invasion  was  expected 
from  day  to  day.  But  neither  she  nor 
the  bereaved  people  could  prevail  with 
the  loyal  kinsman  and  chieftain  to  break 
faith  with  his  dead  cousin ;  he  upheld 
young  Heardred  in  the  public  assembly, 
respectfully  and  with  friendly  guidance, 
until  the  time  that  he  was  of  full  age,  when 
he  resigned  to  him  the  power  which  he 
had  wielded  only  so  long  as  duty  bade. 
But  fortune  soon  after  proved  fatal  to 
young  Heardred.  He,  too,  was  killed  in 


At  Home  293 

war.  Then  ancient  Hrothgar's  prophecy 
came  true,  and  Beowulf  found  himself 
King  of  the  Goths.  He  had  not  sought 
or  coveted  the  dignity,  giving  the  elder 
line  always  his  whole-hearted,  undivided 
service.  But  when  the  broad  realm  came 
to  his  hand,  he  took  it  as  a  trust  placed 
in  his  charge  by  God,  and  governed  it 
well  for  fifty  winters,  a  true  ethel-warden 
— noble  guardian  of  the  people.  But  en- 
vious fate,  which  is  ever  on  the  lurk,  would 
not  suffer  the  venerable  King  to  end  his 
days  in  undisturbed  prosperity. 


LAY   III 
THE  DRAGON 

I 
THE  TREASURE 

IN  the  land  of  the  Goths,  high  on  a 
rocky  steep  above  the  sea,  there  stood 
a  lonely  stronghold,  built  of  stone.  A 
narrow  path  led  to  it  from  the  beach  be- 
neath, but  it  was  unfrequented  by  people, 
because  the  castle  was  tenanted  by  a 
Dragon,  who  had,  for  three  hundred  years, 
kept  guard  over  a  treasure  of  gold  and 
silver — rings,  bracelets,  jewelled  drinking- 
cups,  daggers  and  swords,  and  armour  of 
all  kinds.  This  treasure  was  the  legacy  of 
an  ancient  band  of  men,  war-companions 
long  forgotten.  Death  took  them  all  off, 
294 


The  Treasure  295 

one  after  another,  and  left  one  solitary 
survivor,  to  mourn  for  lost  friends  and 
enjoy  for  a  short  while  the  accumulated 
wealth. 

There  was  a  forsaken  barrow  on  the 
down  near  by,  where  a  huge  cliff  hung 
sheer  over  the  water.  Thither  the  soli- 
tary man  carried  all  the  beaten  gold  and 
silver,  and  having  buried  it  all,  spoke  a 
few  farewell  words : 

"Hold  thou  now,  O  Earth,  the  wealth 
of  mighty  heroes,  who  cannot  guard  it 
any  longer.  Death  in  battle  has  carried 
them  all  away,  my  friends,  my  peers  ;  they 
share  the  bliss  of  Woden's  heavenly  hall, 
where  only  brave  warriors  slain  in  the 
field  are  admitted.  No  one  henceforth 
will  furbish  the  embossed  tankard,  the  pre- 
cious sword,  or  the  helmet  damaskeened 
with  gold  ;  the  armour  will  moulder  by  the 
side  of  the  warrior  who  wore  it ! " 

Thus  the  sole  survivor  of  a  brave  com- 
pany lamented  his  unhappiness,  by  day 
and  by  night,  until  the  finger  of  Death 
touched  his  heart  also,  and  it  stood  still. 

The   dazzling   hoard,  now  unguarded, 


296  Beowulf 

was  found  by  the  old  pest  of  twilight, 
that  haunteth  barrows,  the  scaly  spiteful 
Dragon,  that  flieth  by  night,  enwrapt  in 
fire,  whom  country-folk  hold  in  awe  and 
dread.  His  great  delight  is  to  sit  on  un- 
derground hoards  and  gloat  there.  Thus 
it  happened  that,  having  discovered  this 
enormous  treasure-house,  he  held  it  for 
three  hundred  years,  until  something  oc- 
curred which  angered  him  and  let  him 
loose  on  the  unhappy  land. 

Some  unknown  man  was  fleeing  in  a 
feud,  houseless  and  pursued,  and  in  his 
flight  he  stumbled  on  the  barrow  and  on 
the  Dragon  asleep  therein  upon  the  glitter- 
ing hoard.  Horror-struck,  he  was  turning 
to  escape  while  he  might,  but  a  jewelled 
tankard  caught  his  eye  and  he  just 
snatched  it  before  he  ran,  his  heart  mis- 
giving him  at  the  time  that  he  was  bring- 
ing woe  on  many  by  the  deed.  But 
something  impelled  him,  stronger  than 
reason — so  he  snatched  and  ran,  hugging 
the  precious  bauble,  which  he  carried  to 
his  liege  lord,  who  pursued  him,  as  a 
pledge  of  peace,  and  bought  his  lord's 


The  Treasure  297 

friendship  and  his  own  safety  therewith. 
He  also  revealed  the  hiding-place  of  the 
hoard  ;  the  chieftain  hastened  thither  with- 
out delay,  the  barrow  was  rifled  of  many 
of  its  jewels,  while  the  Dragon  still  slept 
his  long,  heavy  sleep — and  the  mischief 
was  done  ! 

When  the  Worm  woke  and  found  him- 
self despoiled,  his  fury  was  intense  ;  but  he 
mastered  it  at  first,  to  make  his  vengeance 
more  complete  and  sure.  First  of  all  he 
sniffed  at  the  scent  along  the  rock,  and  at 
once  came  upon  the  track  of  the  enemy, 
whose  foot  had  stepped  unawares  by  his 
very  head  as  he  lay  asleep.  He  sought  dili- 
gently for  the  man,  going  over  the  ground 
whither  the  scent  took  him  ;  in  more  and 
more  fiery  and  raging  mood  he  kept  swing- 
ing around  and  around  the  barrow.  There 
was  not  any  man  there  in  all  that  desert 
waste.  All  the  while  he  matured  in  his 
breast  his  purpose  of  dire  and  bloody 
work.  Every  now  and  then  he  would 
dash  back  into  the  barrow,  as  though  to 
satisfy  himself  once  more  of  what  he  knew 
already :  that  there  had  been  plunder 


298  Beowulf 

done, — then  he  would  dash  out  again. 
He  could  hardly  wait  for  the  night  to 
come.  But  presently  the  day  waned  at 
last,  and  the  Worm  had  his  will :  no  longer 
would  he  bide  in  fenced  walls,  but  issue 
forth,  equipped  with  fire,  to  do  havoc  all 
over  the  land.  Thus  it  was  that  the 
Dragon's  vengeance  had  a  sore  beginning 
for  the  people  ;  soon  it  was  to  have  a 
sorer  ending  for  their  ruler  and  benefactor. 


II 


THE  ATTACK 

ONCE  the  monster  had  begun  his  fiery 
raids,  he  did  not  stop  them  again. 
Far  into  each  night  blazed  the  farmsteads, 
late  so  cheerful.  The  flying  pest  would  fain 
have  left  nothing  alive  where  his  vast  form 
hovered  in  the  air  on  broad  black  pinions, 
like  to  a  huge  smoke-cloud,  with  live-coal 
eyes  and  flame  squirting  and  snorting  from 
open  maw  and  distended  nostrils.  It  was 
only  just  before  the  break  of  day  that  he 
shot  back  again  to  his  dark  mansion  for 
protection  ;  for  he  trusted  his  rocky  keep  ; 
only  that  trust  deceived  him  in  the  end. 

Soon  it  was  reported  to  Beowulf  (for 
evil  tidings  travel  swift  and  sure),  that  his 
own  mansion,  noblest  of  buildings,  even 
his  own  royal  seat,  the  gift  of  the  Goths, 

299 


300  Beowulf 

was  melting  away  in  fiery  waves.  So 
sorely  was  the  venerable  King  smitten  to 
the  heart  at  this  great  outrage,  that  he 
was  tempted  to  break  out  into  revilings 
against  Providence,  much  against  his  wont, 
for  never  was  man  gentler  in  his  valour, 
more  pious  in  his  power. 

Deeply  did  Beowulf  revolve  in  his 
thoughts  how  he  should  deliver  himself 
and  his  people  from  this  new  pest,  after 
the  many,  many  years  of  peace  and  happi- 
ness. The  memories  of  his  youth,  of  the 
time  when  he,  a  victorious  boy,  had  purged 
Hrothgar's  hall,  single-handed,  of  Grendel 
and  his  loathsome  brood,  were  still  green 
with  him,  and  the  thought  of  going  forth 
to  seek  the  Dragon  with  a  host,  or  even 
a  band  of  men,  was  abhorrent  to  him.  He 
decided  to  go  and  look  about  him  with 
only  eleven  companions,  led  by  the  finder 
of  the  first  jewelled  tankard,  the  cause  of 
the  baleful  feud,  who  went  as  the  thir- 
teenth of  the  party.  Then  the  aged  King 
sat  him  down  on  the  headland,  and  began 
to  bid  farewell  to  his  hearth-fellows.  For 
his  heart  was  heavy  within  him  and  full  of 


The  Attack  301 

boding  sadness,  and  his  thoughts  travelled 
back,  as  aged  men's  thoughts  are  apt  to 
do  when  they  feel  the  hour  of  the  last 
separation  drawing  nigh — back  across  the 
entire  field  of  life's  achievements,  dwelling 
longest  on  what  looms  remotest.  Thus 
now  the  ancient  warrior,  while  going  over 
the  days  of  his  youth  in  rather  rambling 
speech,  dwelt  most  lovingly  on  the  time 
when,  as  a  stripling,  he  did  page's  service 
at  the  court  of  Hygelac's  father,  Hrethel, 
to  whom  his  own  father  gave  him  when 
only  seven  years  old,  and  who  had  raised 
and  fostered  him,  and  held  him  as  dear  as 
his  own  sons.  Then,  turning  back  to  the 
present  and  its  stern  necessities,  he  ad- 
dressed an  affectionate  word  to  each  of 
his  more  familiar  comrades,  still  harping 
on  his  dislike  to  fight  the  monster  with 
any  but  naked  hands  : 

"  I  would  not  willingly  bear  sword  or 
weapon  to  meet  this  Worm,  as  I  formerly 
did  not  against  Grendel.  I  expect  to  meet 
scorching  fire,  deadly  venom;  therefore 
shall  I  carry  a  strong  shield  and  wear  a 
fine  mail-shirt.  As  for  you,  my  men-at- 


302  Beowulf 

arms,  wait  ye  here  on  the  mountain  to  see 
which  of  us  twain  falls,  deadly  stricken 
there  on  the  rock." 

As  he  spoke,  the  brave  old  warrior  rose 
by  the  brink  of  the  down  and  sternly 
scanned  the  place  around,  when,  not  far 
from  where  they  stood,  he  beheld  a  rocky 
arch,  and  out  of  it  a  stream  breaking  from 
the  barrow,  steaming  hot,  so  no  man 
might  come  nigh  the  hoard  unscorched 
and  survive  the  Dragon's  flame. 

Then  did  the  Prince  of  the  Goths  let 
forth  out  of  his  breast  a  mighty  battle- 
shout,  which  stirred  the  keeper  of  the 
hoard  under  his  hoary  rock.  There  was 
now  no  time  for  reflection  or  for  parley- 
ing, for  from  out  the  rock  there  came  the 
hot  reeking  breath  of  the  monster,  like  a 
cloud  of  steam  ;  and  hardly  had  the  hero 
swung  his  shield  and  taken  his  stand  well 
up  by  it,  when  the  ringy  Worm  suddenly 
rolled  forth  and  buckled  himself  into  a 
bow,  and  thus,  curved  like  an  arch,  emit- 
ting flame,  advanced  upon  his  human  foe 
in  a  rapid,  gliding  shuffle.  The  shield, 
indeed,  protected  awhile  the  glorious 


The  Attack  303 

chieftain,  but  when  he  raised  his  arm  to 
smite  with  the  sword,  which  he  had  been 
persuaded  to  take,  the  stroke,  though 
hard,  proved  inefficient,  and  only  roused 
the  furious  Dragon  to  greater  rage,  so 
that  now  it  cast  forth  devouring  fire  in 
volumes  and  the  deadly  sparks  sprang 
every  way. 

And  now,  when  the  combatants  closed 
again,  the  monster's  breast  shot  steam  in 
scalding  jets,  and  the  man  stood  at  bay, 
unseen  for  the  fire  which  encompassed 
him.  And  of  his  own  band  of  eleven  com- 
rades, sons  of  ethelings  all,  not  one  stood 
his  ground,  but  all,  horror  stricken,  slunk 
away  to  the  woods  for  shelter. 


' 

OOL  LIBRARY. 


Ill 

WIGLAF 

NO,  not  all.  One  among  them  proved 
a  faithful  follower,— Wiglaf,  Weoh- 
stan's  son,  Beowulf's  youngest  comrade 
and  his  much-loved  kinsman.  When  he 
beheld  his  liege  lord  in  such  sore  distress, 
his  heart  smote  him,  as  he  thought  of  the 
lands  and  honours  the  King  had  so  lately 
bestowed  on  him,  and  of  the  justice  he 
had  publicly  rendered  him  and  his  father 
in  a  just  feud — and  gratitude  moved  him 
deeply. 

This  was  the  first  adventure  on  which 
the  young  etheling  had  embarked  with 
his  liege  lord.  When  he  saw  his  fellows 
shamefully  scurrying  off,  mindful  only  of 
their  own  safety,  he  turned  on  them  and 
upbraided  them  with  hottest  words  of 
noble  anger. 

304 


Wiglaf  305 

"  What ! "  he  cried,  "  and  shall  we  thus 
forsake  our  lord,  with  whom  we  were  fain  to 
revel  in  the  festive  hall,  drinking  his  mead, 
taking  his  golden  rings  and  well-tempered 
swords?  He  chose  us  out  of  all  his  host 
for  this  adventure  because  he  counted  us 
stout  warriors  and  loyal  friends.  Now 
the  day  is  come  when  he  needs  the 
strength  of  his  followers.  No  matter  that 
he  intended  to  achieve  this  great  deed 
single-handed — let  us  stand  by  him  !  God 
knows  that  I  for  one  had  liefer  the  flame 
would  swallow  me  up  with  him  than  stand 
away  now !  I  think  it  shame  that  we 
should  bear  our  shields  safe  home  unless 
we  rescue  the  life  of  our  lord.  Is  this 
acting  according  to  our  old  customs,  that 
we  leave  him,  alone  of  noble  Goths,  to 
bear  the  brunt  and  fall  in  an  unequal 
fight?" 

Thus  speaking,  young  Wiglaf  boldly 
plunged  into  steam  and  smoke,  with  his 
helmet  on  his  head,  shouting  loud  : 

"  My  liege  Beowulf !  now  make  good 
the  boast  of  thy  youth,  that  never  in  thy 
lifetime  wouldst  thou  suffer  thy  glory  to 


306  Beowulf 

decline, — and  I  shall  stand  by  thee  and 
support  thee  to  the  uttermost." 

The  fell,  malignant  monster  heard  the 
cheering  words  and  came  on  with  re- 
doubled fury,  to  engage  his  hated  enemies. 
In  an  instant  the  wooden  lining  of  Wig- 
laf's  shield  was  consumed  by  the  flame  ; 
but  he  went  forward  under  shelter  of  his 
elder  kinsman's  shield  when  his  own  was 
reduced  to  ashes.  Then  the  old  fire  of 
battle  burned  high  in  the  valiant  King's 
breast,  and  he  smote  the  Worm  so  desper- 
ate a  blow,  that  the  weapon  stood  in  his 
head,  deep  stuck  ;  but  Naegling,  the  good 
sword,  flew  in  splinters  as  it  struck,  be- 
traying its  master  as  other  blades  had 
done  before  ;  for  it  was  not  given  him 
that  steel  should  help  him  in  a  fight. 

And  now,  enraged  even  unto  death,  the 
Dragon,  after  yielding  ground  somewhat, 
made  a  rush  at  the  hero,  whose  strength 
was  giving  way  apace,  and,  opening  wide 
his  reeking  jaws,  enclosed  his  foe's  neck 
with  his  sharp,  long  fangs,  till  the  blood 
flowed  in  streams. 


IV 

VICTORY  AND  DEATH 

LOUD  is  the  minstrels'  song  in  praise 
of  Wiglaf,  the  fearless  young  ethel- 
ing,  and  the  prowess  he  displayed  in  his 
aged  kinsman's  behalf,  giving  him  time 
to  recover  his  senses,  so  that  at  the  mon- 
ster's third  onslaught,  he  could  draw  the 
knife  from  his  belt  and  gash  the  Worm 
from  below,  in  the  middle,  with  deadly 
stab.  This  was  the  supreme  hour  of  tri- 
umph in  the  hero's  career,  when  his  winged, 
scaly  foe  fell  off  writhing  and  gasping  out 
his  life. 

But  in  the  wound  which  those  cruel 
fangs  had  inflicted,  the  venom  began  its 
deadly  work.  In  vain  young  Wiglaf,  sit- 
ting down  on  a  stone  by  the  mound  where 
his  liege  lord  lay  exhausted,  applied  all  the 
307 


308  Beowulf 

remedies  taught  him  by  the  leech-lore  of 
cunning  dwarfs, — unloosened  the  helmet, 
cooled  the  swelling  neck  with  water  which 
he  ladled  on  it  with  his  hand,  and  laid 
on  healing  herbs  which  grew  in  plenty 
out  of  the  bountiful  earth  :  the  hurt  was 
mortal,  with  each  moment  life  was  burn- 
ing away,  with  the  fiery  poison  spreading 
through  all  the  vital  parts.  Beowulf  knew 
that  the  tale  of  his  days  was  told,  and  he 
was  spending  his  last  hours  on  earth.  But 
the  hero's  brave  soul  did  not  quail.  He 
looked  death  in  the  face,  now  that  it  bent 
close  over  him,  as  calmly  as  he  was  wont 
in  the  days  when  it  was  but  a  distant 
shadow  on  the  battle-field.  The  one  re- 
gret which  he  expressed  was  at  having  no 
son  to  whom  he  could  bequeath  his  royal 
armour.  But  he  took  comfort  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  having  been  a  just  ruler. 

"  I  have  ruled  this  people  fifty  winters," 
he  said  ;  "  there  was  not  a  king  who  dared 
threaten  them  with  war.  Yet  did  I  hold 
my  own  by  justice.  I  have  not  sought 
unjust  quarrels  nor  have  I  sworn  many 
false  oaths.  Thinking  of  all  this,  I  am 


Victory  and  Death  .         309 

able,  though  sick  unto  death  with  many 
wounds,  to  take  comfort,  for  the  Ruler  of 
men  cannot  charge  me  with  murder  of 
kinsmen,  when  my  life  quitteth  the  body." 

Yet  the  dying  hero  had  one  wish  which 
he  begged  his  young  kinsman  to  satisfy 
ere  his  sight  and  senses  failed  him  ;  he 
fain  would  have  a  glimpse  of  the  treasure 
which  he  had  bought  with  his  life  :  "  Now 
quickly  go  thou,  beloved  Wiglaf,"  he  said 
to  his  faithful  comrade,  "  and  examine  the 
treasure  under  the  hoary  rock,  now  the 
Worm  lieth  dead.  I  would  have  a  look 
at  the  curious  gems,  the  hoarded  store  ; 
then  would  I  more  contentedly  resign  my 
life  and  the  lordship  I  have  held  so  long." 

Not  a  moment  did  the  devoted  youth 
lose  in  obeying  his  beloved  lord's  behest. 
He  hurried  to  the  lair  of  the  Worm  and 
gazed  with  amazement  on  the  numberless 
and  wondrous  things  of  value  which  rilled 
the  barrow,  heaped  and  crushed  together, 
indenting  the  ground  where  the  Dragon 
had  lain  on  them.  The  gold  was  losing 
its  burnish,  the  precious  stones  were  fall- 
ing out,  bracelets  and  helmets  were  eaten 


310  Beowulf 

by  rust,  losing  their  value  day  by  day. 
Thus  can  treasure,  buried  idly  in  the 
earth,  make  fools  of  men  !  One  great 
marvel  of  cunningest  handicraft  Wiglaf 
beheld  looming  high  above  the  hoard  ;  it 
was  a  banner,  all  golden,  which  gave  forth 
a  gleam  of  light  so  bright  that  it  illumined 
the  darkest  recesses  of  the  hollow  barrow 
and  made  it  easy  to  examine  all  the  hid- 
den curiosities. 

In  great  haste,  hardly  pausing  to  glance 
at  the  uncovered  treasure,  Wiglaf  gath- 
ered into  his  bosom  and  arms  cups  and 
platters,  bracelets  and  rings,  and  snatch- 
ing also  the  magic  banner,  eagerly  re- 
turned to  the  mound  with  his  spoils, 
anxiously  wondering  in  his  faithful  heart 
whether  he  should  find  his  lord  alive  still 
where  he  left  him  painfully  breathing. 
Dropping  the  riches  on  the  ground  with- 
out a  thought  of  them,  he  quickly  knelt  by 
the  side  of  his  King,  and  again  began  to 
sprinkle  him  with  water,  till  he  had  re- 
stored him  to  consciousness  and  speech. 
As  Beowulf  opened  his  eyes  and  beheld 
the  gold  for  a  glimpse  of  which  he  had 


Victory  and  Death  311 

longed,  his  brow  cleared,  and  he  spoke  in 
feeble,  but  cheerful  tones : 

"  I  do  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  of  all, 
the  Giver  of  all  things,  for  those  spoils 
upon  which  I  here  do  gaze ;  to  think  that 
I  have  been  permitted  to  acquire  such 
great  wealth  for  my  earls  and  thanes  to 
enjoy  and  to  remember  me  by  after  my 
death  !  I  have  sold  my  life  for  this  treas- 
ure— do  thou  now  provide  for  my  men, 
for  I  shall  be  with  them  no  more.  Order 
my  brave  warriors  to  erect  a  lofty  cairn — 
a  mound  of  stones,  after  the  death-fire  has 
burned  out,  here  on  the  headland  above 
the  sea.  It  shall  tower  aloft  for  a  memo- 
rial to  my  friends,  and  seafaring  men  shall 
call  it  Beowulf's  Barrow,  as  they  drive 
their  foamy  barks  over  the  dangerous 
waters." 

Then  the  dying  hero  took  off  his  gold 
collar  and  with  feeble  hands  gave  it  to  the 
young  thane ;  also  bade  him  take  his  coro- 
neted  helmet  and  his  mail-shirt,  and  wear 
them  and  do  honour  to  his  chieftain's 
armour. 

Once  more  the  King  spoke,  with  failing 


3I2 


Beowulf 


breath :  "  Thou  art  the  last  remnant  of 
our  race.  "  Fate  has  swept  all  my  kins- 
men into  eternity,  princes  in  chivalry  ;  and 
now  I  must  follow  them." 

This  was  the  aged  monarch's  last  speech  ; 
with  the  words  his  soul  fled  from  his  bosom, 
to  enter  into  the  everlasting  rest  of  the 
righteous. 


WIGLAF'S  REBUKE— DISMAY  AND  TEARS 

A  SAD,  agonizing  hour  it  was  for  the 
warm-hearted  youth,  new  to  the 
world  and  its  trials,  when  he  sat  upon 
the  ground  taking  in  the  first  great  grief  of 
his  life,  as  he  gazed  on  the  body  of  the  man 
who  had  been  dearest  to  him  on  earth. 
Small  comfort  he  took  from  the  sight  of 
his  dead  foe,  the  horrible  Dragon,  as  he 
lay  at  a  little  distance,  uncoiled  and  harm- 
less for  evermore.  Weary  of  heart,  but 
still  nursing  some  sort  of  stubborn,  una- 
vailing hope,  he  sat  by  his  lord's  shoulder 
and  still  kept  sprinkling  him  with  water, 
till  he  saw  his  ten  faint-hearted  comrades, 
as  they  came  sneaking  shamefacedly  from 
the  woods,  slowly  trailing  their  shields 
along  to  the  place  where  the  King  lay  dead. 
313 


3H  Beowulf 

Grief  gave  way  to  righteous  anger  at 
the  sight.  Sternly  did  young  Wiglaf  look 
upon  the  men  he  no  longer  loved,  and  bit- 
ter rebuke  flowed  unchecked  from  his  lips. 

"  Now,  look  you,"  he  cried  ;  "  well  may  a 
man  who  is  minded  to  speak  the  truth, 
say  that  the  chieftain  who  gave  you  those 
costly  gewgaws,  that  warlike  apparel  in 
which  you  stand  there  before  me,  who  at 
the  ale-bench  so  often  presented  his  thanes 
with  helmet  and  mail-shirt,  utterly  and 
wretchedly  threw  his  gifts  away.  For, 
verily,  little  cause  had  he  to  boast  of  his 
companions-in-arms  in  the  hour  of  danger  ! 
Nevertheless,  it  was  given  him  by  God,  the 
Ordainer  of  victories,  to  avenge  himself 
single-handed  when  his  valour  was  put  to 
the  proof.  For  little  protection  could  I 
afford  him,  though  I  attempted  what  was 
beyond  my  strength,  in  trying  to  help  my 
kinsman.  Now  go,  ye  cravens !  No 
share  of  the  treasure  is  there  for  you  or 
yours.  And  may  every  man  of  your  kin 
be  sent  forth  into  life-long  exile,  deprived 
of  lands  and  rights,  as  soon  as  the  ethelings 
now  at  a  distance  come  together  and  are 


Wiglaf  s  Rebuke  315 

told  of  your  disloyalty,  your  shameful 
desertion.  Go — and  learn  from  experi- 
ence that,  to  a  warrior,  death  is  better  far 
than  a  life  of  shame  ! " 

When  he  had  relieved  his  feelings  by 
this  thundering  outburst,  Wiglaf  gave 
orders  to  make  the  woful  issue  of  the  con- 
flict known  to  the  host  of  thanes  and  earls 
who,  by  the  master's  command,  had  been 
encamped  over  the  sea-cliff  and  had  sat 
there  all  day  long  by  their  shields,  their 
souls  divided  betwixt  hope  and  fear.  One 
young  thane  rode  up  the  bluff,  sent  by  the 
rest,  to  view  the  fatal  scene  and  report  to 
them,  which  he  did  faithfully,  in  words 
pregnant  with  grief  for  the  present  and 
foreboding  for  the  near  future. 

"  Now  we  may  soon  look  for  war,"  he 
concluded  his  report ;  "  as  soon  as  the 
King's  death  is  made  known  among  the 
Franks  and  Frisians.  For  never,  since 
Hygelac  fell,  have  we  enjoyed  the  good- 
will of  the  Merovingian  Kings  of  the 
Franks,  nor  do  I  count  upon  peace  or 
good  understanding  on  the  side  of  the 
Swedes— such  is  the  feud  and  grudge  of 


3l6  Beowulf 

all  these  nations  ever  since  the  fall  of 
Hygelac  on  Frisian  land.  They  will  surely 
attack  us  as  soon  as  they  learn  that  our 
Prince  is  dead,  he  who  has  so  long  upheld 
against  all  foes  our  treasure  and  our  realm, 
winning  ever  greater  respect  in  public 
counsel,  and  ever  greater  fame  in  war. 
Now  methinks  that  quickness  were  best; 
so  let  us  look  our  last  upon  the  mighty 
King,  and  bring  him  without  delay  to  the 
funeral  pyre.  And  yonder  is  a  hoard  of 
precious  things,  gold  untold,  jewels  pur- 
chased with  our  hero's  own  life-blood. 
Never  a  warrior  shall  wear  any  of  those 
ornaments  ;  never  a  maiden  have  on  her 
neck  one  of  those  collars.  Sorrowful  and 
stripped  of  gold  ornaments  shall  all  come 
to  the  funeral  procession,  while  many  a 
hand  shall  swing  the  spear  in  the  cold  of 
the  morning ;  music  of  the  harp  shall  not 
waken  the  warriors  on  the  fateful  day ;  but 
the  ominous  raven,  fluttering  and  chatter- 
ing of  slaughter,  will  tell  the  eagle  of  his 
luck,  while,  alongside  of  the  grim  and 
hungry  wolf,  he  stripped  the  slain." 

Upon  hearing  the  grief-stricken  youth's 


Wiglaf's  Rebuke  317 

discourse,  all  the  troop  arose  and  sadly, 
under  gushing  tears,  wended  their  way 
under  the  crag,  to  behold  the  gruesome 
sight.  There  they  found,  stretched  life- 
less on  the  sand,  the  man  who  had  given 
them  so  many  rings  in  bygone  times,  and, 
at  but  a  short  distance  from  him,  the  car- 
case of  the  loathsome  beast,  all  scorched 
with  its  own  flames — never  saw  they  more 
frightful  object.  It  was  fifty  feet  long 
where  it  lay.  No  more  through  the  re- 
gions of  air  would  he  sportively  whirl  at 
midnight,  then  down  again  pounce  to  re- 
joice in  his  lair — he  would  have  no  use 
for  caverns  any  more.  And  there,  un- 
watched,  open  to  all  men's  eyes,  lay  bowls 
and  dishes  and  swords  of  price,  all  rusty 
and  corroded,  as  though  they  had  lain  in 
the  earth's  lap  a  thousand  winters  ;  for  this 
treasure  had  been  bound  by  a  magic  spell, 
so  that  it  might  never  be  touched  of  man, 
unless  God  Himself  granted  to  one  of  His 
choice  to  open  the  enchanted  hoard  ;  and 
that  man  was  to  leave  his  life  as  ransom — 
such  was  Beowulf's  lot. 


VI 

THE  OBSEQUIES 

AND  now  Wiglaf  once  more  lifted  up 
his  voice  : 

"  Alas !  we  were  not  able  to  convince  our 
beloved  master  that  he  should  not  chal- 
lenge yonder  monster,  but  should  leave 
him  to  dwell  unmolested  in  his  haunts  to 
the  end  of  the  world.  But  it  is  done — 
the  hoard  lies  open  before  us,  purchased 
at  a  fearful  price.  I  was  inside  the  cham- 
ber of  the  barrow  and  explored  the  whole 
of  it,  and  all  the  stores  it  held  ;  for,  once 
the  price  was  paid,  the  spell  was  broken, 
and  the  passage  open  to  all.  Hurriedly  I 
grabbed  with  my  hands  a  huge  burden  of 
treasure  and  carried  it  hither  to  the  feet 
of  my  King.  He  was  still  alive  then,  wise 
and  sensible  ;  freely  did  he  talk,  although 
318 


The  Obsequies  319 

the  death-pang  was  upon  him.  And  he 
bade  me  give  you  all  his  greeting  and 
tell  you  his  will :  that  ye  should  build  up, 
in  memory  of  your  chieftain's  deeds,  on 
the  very  place  of  the  funeral  pyre,  a  stone- 
cairn  of  the  highest,  forasmuch  as  he  was 
of  all  men  the  most  famous  warrior,  as 
long  as  it  was  given  him  to  dwell  in  his 
royal  castle.  And  now  let  us  go,  all  to- 
gether, and  visit  the  fatal  hoard.  I  will 
be  your  guide,  and  ye  shall  have  your  fill 
of  gazing  on  gold  and  jewels.  After  that, 
let  us  make  ready  the  bier,  and  promptly 
equip  it,  and  so  let  us  convey  our  beloved 
master  to  the  place  where  he  shall  tarry 
long  in  the  keeping  of  the  Almighty." 

Then,  by  Wiglaf's  orders,  commands 
were  sent  round  to  many  householders, 
that  they  should  haul  timber,  stout  and 
sound,  to  do  the  last  service  to  the  ruler 
of  men. 

While  this  was  being  done,  Wiglaf 
called  out  of  the  band  seven  of  the  King's 
thanes,  the  choicest ;  led  by  him,  the  eighth, 
they  went  under  the  dangerous  roof,  one 
warrior  walking  in  front,  bearing  in  his 


320  Beowulf 

hand  a  flaming  torch.  When  they  had 
taken  a  view  of  the  treasure,  lying  there 
keeperless  and  undefended,  they  did  not 
stand  upon  the  order  of  casting  lots  as  to 
who  should  loot  the  hoard,  but  went  to 
work  with  all  despatch  to  empty  the  cham- 
ber. Then,  taking  hold  of  the  dead 
Dragon,  they  haled  him  away  and  shoved 
him  over  the  precipitous  cliff.  With  a 
great  splash  the  waves  engulfed  him,  and 
that  was  the  last  of  him.  In  the  mean- 
time, the  gold  was  laden  on  waggons,  which 
followed  the  bier  whereon  the  hero  was 
borne  to  the  high,  jutting  headland  which 
he  had  chosen  for  his  resting-place. 

There  they  constructed  for  him  a  huge 
pyre,  which  they  hung  all  round  with  hel- 
mets, battle-shields,  bright  mail-shirts  ;  and 
in  the  midst  of  the  pyre,  heaving  deep 
sighs,  they  laid  their  beloved  lord.  Then 
the  warriors  set  fire  to  the  pile  in  several 
places ;  the  smoke,  heavy  and  black, 
mounted  up  to  the  sky,  the  ruddy  flames 
shot  aloft,  their  roaring  mingling  with  the 
howling  of  the  winds,  until  the  house  of 
flesh  and  bone  was  utterly  consumed. 


The  Obsequies  321 

With  sore  hearts  and  care-laden  minds, 
the  warriors  stood  around  and  silently 
mourned  their  liege  lord,  the  while  a  dirge 
of  sorrow  was  sung  by  an  aged  dame, 
whose  dishevelled  hair  streamed  in  the 
wind.  The  blue  heavens  swallowed  up 
the  black  smoke. 

Then  did  the  people  go  to  work  and 
construct  a  barrow  and  a  cairn  of  stones  on 
the  hill.  It  was  high  and  broad,  and  sea- 
faring men  would  behold  it  from  a  great 
distance.  Ten  days  they  laboured.  With 
great  skill  they  surrounded  the  ashes  of 
the  pyre  with  a  noble  embankment,  and 
the  pile  rose  like  a  beacon  for  all  coming 
ages,  even  as  the  memory  of  the  hero's 
deeds  and  noble  character. 

As  to  the  fated  hoard,  they  buried  the 
whole  in  the  barrow  under  the  cairn,  and 
left  it  there,  where  it  remains  to  this  day 
as  useless  to  mankind  as  it  has  been  ever 
since  the  last  of  a  company  of  unknown 
earls  consigned  it  to  the  earth's  keeping. 

Last  of  all  funeral  ceremonies,  twelve 
youths,  sons  of  ethelings,  rode  around 
the  barrow.  From  time  to  time  they 


322 


Beowulf 


stopped  in  the  race,  to  bewail  their  loss,  and 
bemoan  their  King,  to  recite  an  elegy  in  his 
honour,  to  celebrate  his  name  and  re- 
hearse his  deeds,  extolling  his  manhood 
with  admiring  words. 

Thus  did  the  nobles  of  the  Goths,  the 
companions  of  his  hearth,  lament  the  fall 
of  Beowulf,  their  lord.  They  said  that  he 
was  of  all  kings  in  the  world  the  mildest 
and  most  affable  to  his  men,  most  genial 
to  his  nobles,  and  most  desirous  of  glory. 


NOTE  ON  THE  "BEOWULF" 

IV TO  monument  of  ancient  national  liter- 
1  ^  ature  has  been — and  to  a  great  ex- 
tent still  is — so  overlooked  and  underrated 
as  the  Anglo-Saxon  epic  of  "  Beowulf."  It 
has,  indeed,  been  edited  and  re-edited,  and 
duly  commented  on,  and  it  is  entered  in 
the  university  curriculum  of  Anglo-Saxon. 
But  how  great  a  proportion  of  even  inter- 
ested students  pursue  their  English  studies 
as  far  back  as  Anglo-Saxon  ?  A  cultured 
general  reader  would  vainly  ask  for  a 
readable  translation,  even  in  prose,  of  the 
"  Beowulf  ;  "  nor  would  he  be  likely  to 
ask  for  one,  as  there  is  nothing  in  even 
the  best  histories  of  English  literature, 
native  or  foreign,  to  awaken  a  feeling 
of  sympathetic  curiosity — nothing  more 
than  either  a  bare  mention,  or  at  best, 
a  brief  account,  always  insufficient  and  fre- 
323 


324  Beowulf 

quently  misleading.  And — proof  positive 
of  the  poem's  total  lack  of  popularity — it 
has  never  yet  been  illustrated. 

An  untoward  fate  seemed  to  pursue  the 
"  Beowulf "  even  before  it  came  into  the 
hands  of  the  scholars.  There  is  only  one 
manuscript  of  it  in  existence,  which  is  hid 
away  among  nine  others,  comparatively 
unimportant,  in  a  folio  volume  labelled 
Vitellius  A,  XV.,  and  belonging  to  the 
Cottonian  Library  in  the  British  Museum. 
It  was  noticed  for  the  first  time,  in  1705, 
in  a  catalogue  of  Anglo-Saxon  manuscripts 
(Wanley's),  in  which  it  is  described  as 
containing  an  account  of  certain  wars 
between  Sweden  and  Denmark.  Need- 
less to  say  it  is  nothing  of  the  kind.  The 
notice  was  not  inviting,  and  nobody  paid 
much  attention  to  it.  One  hundred  years 
later,  in  1807,  Sharon  Turner  mentioned 
the  poem  in  his  History  of  the  ^.nglo- 
Saxons,  and  even  attempted  a  translation 
of  a  few  extracts,  with  but  indifferent 
success,  owing  to  the  then  still  very  imper- 
fect knowledge  of  Anglo-Saxon  versifica- 
tion and  poetic  language.  Still,  the  poem 


Note  on  the  "Beowulf"      325 

was  now  treated  with  respect,  and  the 
study  of  it  was  taken  up  conscientiously, 
by  some  even  enthusiastically. 

But  the  students  encountered  difficulties 
which  they  would  have  been  spared  a  hun- 
dred or  even  eighty  years  before  :  the 
original  manuscript — the  only  one — was 
no  longer  intact.  It  had  been  badly  in- 
jured in  a  fire  which  broke  out  in  the  Cot- 
tonian  Library  in  1731,  destroying  114 
volumes  and  damaging  98  others,  "  so  as  to 
make  them  defective,"  in  the  words  of  the 
report ;  and  among  these  "  defective  "  ones 
was  our  folio.  Numerous  leaves  were 
scorched,  and  of  these,  again,  many  chip- 
ped off  in  the  course  of  time,  doing  away 
with  many  ends  of  lines.  The  loss,  of 
course,  is  irretrievable,  but  fortunately  not 
so  great  as  to  impair  materially  the  sense 
and  the  value  of  the  whole.  Strangely 
enough,  the  same  fate,  only  worse,  over- 
took the  first  attempt  at  an  edition  of  the 
poem.  The  Danish  scholar,  Thorkelin, 
had  brought  home  two  complete  copies  of 
it,  for  purposes  of  study  and  translation. 
During  twenty  years  he  gave  the  work 


326  Beowulf 

much  time,  off  and  on,  and  had  the  poem 
almost  ready  for  the  press  when,  in  1807, 
his  house  was  burned  down  during  the 
bombardment  of  Copenhagen  by  the 
English,  and  his  edition  of  the  "  Beowulf  " 
perished,  with  most  of  his  books  How- 
ever, the  two  manuscript  copies  having 
fortunately  escaped  destruction,  Thorkelin 
had  the  extraordinary  courage  to  do  the 
work  over  again,  and  in  1815  came  out  the 
first  edition  of  the  "Beowulf," — the  first 
printed  text,  with  a  parallel  Latin  transla- 
tion and  indices.  Since  then  scholars  have 
done  their  duty  by  this  noble  monument — 
in  every  way  except  making  it  popular. 

Coming  now  to  the  discussion  of  the 
poem  itself,  the  peculiarity  which  strikes 
us  most  at  the  first  reading  is  that,  while 
it  is  avowedly  the  national  epic  of  the 
Anglo-Saxons  and  one  of  the  oldest  mon- 
uments of  the  Anglo-Saxon  language,  the 
hero  is  a  Goth,  and  the  action  takes  place 


1  A  very  complete  survey  of  the  critical  and  philological  work 
done  on  the  "  Beowulf  "  up  to  date  will  be  found  in  the  Intro- 
duction to  Professor  John  Earle's  literal  prose  translation  (with 
notes)  published  at  Oxford  in  1892. 


Note  on  the  "Beowulf"      327 

in  Denmark  and  in  Sweden.  Yet  the 
scenery  described  is  that  of  a  part  of 
Northumbria,  in  England,  which  can  be 
identified  to  this  day,  and  some  of  the 
names  of  the  locality  are  said  to  tally  with 
those  in  the  poem.  It  would  seem,  there- 
fore, that  the  Angles  and  Saxons,  who 
were  near  neighbours  of  the  Danes  in  the 
German  mother-country,  brought  the  story 
over  to  the  British  Island  and  it  was  re- 
told in  literary  poetic  form  before  the 
Danes  came  over  as  pirates  and  conquer- 
ors. Had  the  poem  been  written  after 
this  event,  a  Swedo-Danish  hero  could 
hardly  have  been  adopted  by  the  subju- 
gated Anglo-Saxons,  nor  could  the  Danes 
have  been  mentioned  with  such  absolute 
absence  of  animosity. 

Another  not  only  peculiar  but  highly 
puzzling  feature  is  that  there  are  two 
Beowulfs  :  the  second  king  of  the  Skyld- 
ing  dynasty  (also  called  Beow),  Beowulf 
the  Dane  ;  and  the  hero  of  the  poem,  Beo- 
wulf the  Goth,  who  comes  over  the  sea, 
with  a  picked  band  of  Goths,  to  deliver  the 
Skyldings  from  a  most  untoward  visitation. 


328  Beowulf 

What  makes  this  thing  stranger  still,  is 
that  the  poem  begins  with  a  glorification 
of  the  warlike  Danes,  leading  us  to  expect 
that  it  is  their  national  hero  whose  exploits 
we  are  to  be  called  upon  to  admire.  In- 
stead of  which,  the  Danes  appear  only  in 
the  not  very  admirable  role  of  people  who 
endure  an  intolerable  nuisance  passively 
for  twelve  years,  unable  to  rid  themselves 
of  it — a  fact  which  is  duly  brought  home 
to  them  by  their  deliverer  in  a  moment  of 
legitimate  irritation.  The  reason  for  this 
curious  incongruity  lies  almost  certainly  in 
the  alterations  which  the  old  story  under- 
went,— as  all  epic  stories  did  in  the  pro- 
gress of  oral  transmission,  and  even  in  the 
first  written  attempts,  which  were  often 
cast  and  re-cast  before  they  reached  their 
final  form.  Originally,  the  second  Beo- 
wulf was  certainly  a  Dane  and  a  Skylding. 
As  such,  he  would  quite  naturally  and 
properly  be  named  after  the  ancestor  who 
is  held  up  as  a  model  prince  in  the  pro- 
logue. The  latest  criticism  detects  in  the 
poem  itself  traces  amounting  to  intrinsic 
proof  that  such  was  the  case.  It  was  nat- 


Note  on  the  "Beowulf"      329 

ural  that  Beowulf,  himself  a  Skylding, 
should  be  the  champion  and  deliverer  of 
his  people  and  house,  and,  after  the  death 
of  the  aged  king,  should  be  called  to  the 
throne  by  the  country  for  which  he  had 
laboured  and  fought.  Gothland  is  evi- 
dently, to  use  the  clever  French  phrase, 
"  dragged  in  by  the  hair  "  ;  by  whom  and 
for  what  reason,  is  immaterial  to  the  mere 
reading  of  the  story,  But  a  genealogical 
connection  between  the  two  Beowulfs  is 
felt  as  an  imperious  necessity,  and  the  ab- 
sence of  it  is  a  glaring  inconsistency  which 
it  would  be  hopeless  to  attempt  to  smooth 
over  or  explain  away  for  the  benefit  of 
youthful  readers,  whose  exacting  logic  in 
such  things  is  proverbial.  Wherefore  the 
expedient  has  been  resorted  to  in  the 
present  volume  of  making  the  second  Beo- 
wulf a  Skylding  by  his  mother—  an  expe- 
dient innocent  enough,  since  we  are  not 
told  who  was  his  mother ;  and  why  could 
not  a  royal  daughter  of  Denmark  be  mar- 
ried to  a  royal  thane  of  Gothland  ? 

As  to  the  authorship  of  the  poem,  it  is 
of  course  obscure.    But  the  latest  criticism 


33°  Beowulf 

shows  good  reason  to  ascribe  it  to  a  high 
Church  dignitary — possibly  Hygeberht, 
Bishop  of  Litchfield — statesman  and 
courtier  at  the  time  of  the  great  Offa  II., 
King  of  Mercia  (mentioned  with  great,  but 
not  servile  praise  in  Lay  II.),  who  in  the 
second  half  of  the  eighth  century  gathered 
the  entire  Heptarchy  under  his  overlord- 
ship.  The  few  historical  touches  betray 
the  man  versed  in  the  affairs  of  more 
countries  than  his  own.1 

1  For  the  very  interesting  development  of  this  hypothesis,  as 
well  as  for  other  points  of  exhaustive  research  and  criticism, 
see  J.  Earle's  Introduction,  already  alluded  to. 

Professor  Earle's  version  has  been  fully  utilised  in  the  present 
volume,  even  to  the  extent  of  frequently  making  use  of  its 
wording,  where  it  was  not  too  archaic  or  literal  for  ordinary 
reading  purposes. 


KEY   TO    THE    PRONUNCIATION    OF 
PROPER  NAMES. 


Aeschere     . 
Alberich 
Balmung     . 
Bechlaren    . 
Beowulf 
Breca  . 
Brunhilde    . 
Dankwart    . 
Eckewart     . 
Etzel  . 
Folker 
Gernot 
Giselher 
Grendel 
Gunther 
Hagen 
Hela    . 
Helferich     . 
Helke 
Heorot 
Heremod    . 
Hildebrand 


Es'-ka-ra. 

Al'-ber-ic. 

Ball'-mung. 

Bec-la'-ren. 

B'i'-o-wulf. 

Bra'-ka. 

Brun-hil'-da. 

Dank'-vart. 

Eck'-e-vart. 

Et'-sel. 

Foll'-ker. 

Ger'-n&t. 

G'i'-zel-har. 

Gren'-del. 

Gun'-ter. 

Hag'-en. 

Ha'-la. 

Hel'-fer-ic. 

Hel'-ka 

Hi'-o-rdt. 

Ha'-re-m6d. 

Hil'-de-brand. 


331 


332         Key  to  Pronunciation 


*  Hrethel 

.     Hra'-thel. 

*  Hrothgar     . 

.     H  roth  '-gar. 

*  Hrunting     . 

.     Hrunt'-ing. 

Hygd  . 

.         .     HYgd. 

Hygeberht  . 

.     Hig'-e-bert. 

Hygelac 

'..:       .     Hig'-e-lac. 

Isenstein     . 

.     I'-sen-stlne. 

Kriemhilde 

.     Krim-hil'-da. 

Ludegast     . 

.     Lu'-de-gast. 

Naegling     . 

.     Nag'-ling. 

Nibelungs   . 

.     N'i'-be-lungs. 

Ortewein     . 

.     Orr'-te-vme. 

Rudiger 

.     Ru'-di-ger. 

Siegfried 

.     Sig'-ffid. 

Sieglinde     . 

.     Sig-lin'-da. 

Siegmund    . 

.     Sig'-mund. 

Skyldings    . 

.     Sklldx-ings. 

Thrytho 

.     Thri'-tho. 

Tronje 

.     Tron'-ya. 

Unferth       . 

.     Un'-ferth. 

Ute      . 

.     U'-ta 

Valkyrie 

.     Val-kir'-ya. 

Wealhtheow 

.     Wel'-the-o. 

Weohstan    . 

.     Wi'-o-stan. 

Wiglaf 

.     Wig'-laf. 

Wolfhart'   . 

•  .     Volf  -hart. 

Worms 

.     Vorrms. 

Wulfgar       . 

.     Wulf-gar. 

Xante 

.     Kzan'-ta. 

*  The  H 

to  he  aspirated. 

6  5  o  9     7  * 


UMJUEQC1TV  OF  OAI    IPORNIA    AT   LOS  ANGELES 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


DATE  SEIS 

MAY  1 1  1993 

DUEslloVfrHSFROM 
DATE  RECEIVED 


Rl 


API 

JLDATE  SEN 

AU  f, 

MAR  03 

DATE  RECEIVED 


h 


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E-Ufi| 

1978 


315 


~1 


